Gill surpasses Gavaskar as Indian captain with most runs in a Test series

Gill also needs just one more century to break Gavaskar's record for most centuries by an Indian player in a Test series

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India’s new Test captain, Shubman Gill, has enjoyed a sensational run with the bat in the 2025 Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy. In his first series as captain, Gill has not only led from the front but also rewritten the record books. The latest milestone came during the fifth Test at The Oval, where Gill, upon reaching 11 runs, took his series tally to 733 runs—surpassing the legendary Sunil Gavaskar’s 732-run mark from the 1979 series against the West Indies. 

 

This feat now makes Gill the Indian captain with the most runs in a single Test series. Sitting third on the list is Virat Kohli, who amassed 655 runs against England in 2017—a record for an Indian batter against England that stood until Gill eclipsed it on Day Four of the fourth Test earlier in the series.

 

So, who else features among India’s top-scoring Test captains in a single series? Here is a look at the elite list.

 

Most runs by an Indian captain in a single Test series 

Rank	Captain	Runs	Opponent	Series/Year	Matches	Average
1	Shubman Gill	733*	England	2025*	5*	174.25
2	Sunil Gavaskar	732	West Indies	1978/79	6	91.5
3	Virat Kohli	655	England	2016/17	5	109.16
4	Virat Kohli	610	Sri Lanka	2017	3	152.5
5	Virat Kohli	593	England	2018	5	59.3
6	Yashasvi Jaiswal	712	England	2024	5	89
7	Virat Kohli	692	Australia	2014/15	4	86.5
8	Dilip Sardesai	642	West Indies	1971	5	80.25
9	Rahul Dravid	619	Australia	2003/04	4	123.8
10	Rahul Dravid	602	England	2002	4	100.33

Gill eyes bigger record

Shubman Gill’s stellar run with the bat in the ongoing Test series against England has seen him amass 733 runs—making him the highest run-scorer by an Indian captain in a single Test series. His tally also places him second on the all-time list for India in any Test series, just 42 runs short of surpassing the legendary Sunil Gavaskar’s record of 774 runs set against the West Indies in 1971. Gavaskar also features third on the list with 732 runs, while Yashasvi Jaiswal follows in fourth, having scored 712 runs in the 2024 series against England.

 

Most runs by an Indian player in a single Test series 

Rank	Batter	Runs	Opponent	Series/Year	Matches	Highest Score
1	Sunil Gavaskar	774	West Indies	1971	4	220
2	Shubman Gill	733*	England	2025*	5*	269
3	Sunil Gavaskar	732	West Indies	1978-79	6	205
4	Yashasvi Jaiswal	712	England	2024	5	214*
5	Virat Kohli	692	Australia	2014-15	4	169
6	Virat Kohli	655	England	2016	5	235
7	Dilip Sardesai	642	West Indies	1971	5	212
8	Rahul Dravid	619	Australia	2003-04	4	233
9	Virat Kohli	610	Sri Lanka	2017	3	243
10	Rahul Dravid	602	England	2002	4	217