Shubman Gill goes past Kohli, posts highest Test score as India skipper

Shubman Gill carved his name into Indian cricket’s history books with a commanding and elegant double century against England in the second Test at Edgbaston. On a day when records tumbled and milestones were shattered, the 25-year-old skipper produced a masterclass that eclipsed some of India’s greatest batting efforts in the longest format. Gill, playing just his second Test as captain, reached 269 off 387 deliveries, striking 30 fours and three sixes before falling to Josh Tongue shortly before the tea break. His innings surpassed Virat Kohli’s 254* to become the highest individual Test score by an Indian captain — and the highest by any Indian batter in England. Those in the Indian camp were reportedly calling it a “captain’s innings for the ages.”  Check India vs England 2nd Test Day 3 live score, full scorecard and match updates here 

 

  Highest score by an Indian skipper in Test cricket

 

Rank	Player	Score	Opponent	Venue	Year
1	Shubman Gill	269	England	Birmingham	2025
2	Virat Kohli	254*	South Africa	Pune	2019
3	Virat Kohli	243	Sri Lanka	Delhi	2017
4	Virat Kohli	235	England	Mumbai	2017
5	MS Dhoni	224	Australia	Chennai	2013

First Indian skipper to breach 200 in England

Before Gill’s knock, no Indian captain had ever managed a double hundred in a Test against England on English soil. The previous best belonged to Mohammad Azharuddin, who scored 179 at Old Trafford in 1990. Gill now owns that record, becoming the first Indian skipper to score a double ton in England. His ability to read the conditions early and accelerate post-lunch was hailed as a textbook example of modern Test match batting by the Indian support staff.

Elite company: Sehwag, Tendulkar, Dravid — and now Gill

Gill’s 269 places him in rare air, becoming just the sixth Indian to score 250 or more in a Test innings. He now joins the ranks of legends like Virender Sehwag, who achieved the feat four times, as well as V.V.S. Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Karun Nair, and Kohli. However, unlike his predecessors, Gill’s knock came outside the Indian subcontinent, making it the highest-ever Test score by an Indian batter overseas — surpassing Sachin Tendulkar’s unbeaten 241 at Sydney in 2004.

Dominance in SENA countries: A historic Asian first

Gill also broke ground as the first Asian captain to score a double hundred in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). Until now, the highest score in these regions by an Asian captain was Tillakaratne Dilshan’s 193 at Lord’s in 2011. His performance is now the gold standard for Asian leadership abroad, showing not just flair but also tactical composure under challenging English conditions.