India captain Shubman Gill is in blistering form during the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, racking up 585 runs across the first two Tests. His monumental knock of 269 in the first innings and 161 in the second at Edgbaston not only helped India draw level in the five-match series but also smashed several longstanding records.

Gill surpassed Virat Kohli’s record for most runs by an Indian captain in a single innings and overtook Sunil Gavaskar’s tally for most runs in a Test match by an Indian. Notably, he also became the first Asian captain to score a double century in SENA countries and the first batter globally to score both a double century and a 150 in the same Test.

Four Don Bradman World Records in Sight

With three Tests still to go, Gill is on the verge of eclipsing several Test records held by legendary Australian batter Don Bradman—some standing for nearly a century.

1. Most Runs in a Test Series as Captain

Bradman amassed 810 runs as captain in the 1936-37 Ashes. Gill is now only 225 runs short of overtaking that record, a feat made even more notable as both did it during their first series as Test captains.

2. Most Runs in a Test Series (Overall)

Bradman’s 974 runs during the 1930 Ashes is the highest by any batter in a series. With 585 already on the board, Gill trails by 390. Given his current form, the record, long considered unbreakable, may finally be within reach.

“I hope he does that. I don’t know whether he will do it, but I am sure that he has an opportunity. He is in great form, and he should do it, that’s what I feel,” said former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar.

3. Fastest to 1000 Test Runs as Captain

Bradman reached 1000 runs as Test captain in just 11 innings. Gill, currently 415 runs away from the mark, has six innings left in the series. While challenging, the record isn’t out of bounds if Gill continues to pile up big scores.

4. Most Hundreds in a Test Series

Gill already has three centuries in the series, putting him within striking distance of West Indies legend Clyde Walcott’s record of five tons in a single series (1955 vs Australia). Bradman himself managed four as captain during a series in 1947. Gill needs just two more to match Bradman and three to make history.

Indian Legends Also in Gill’s Rearview Mirror

While the Bradman comparisons steal headlines, Gill is also approaching or surpassing multiple Indian cricketing legends:

Sunil Gavaskar’s 732 runs in a series as Indian captain (1978–79) is just 148 runs away.
He is 18 runs behind Rahul Dravid’s 602—the most by an Indian batter in a Test series in England.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 712 runs, the highest tally by an Indian against England in a series, is only 127 runs away.
Gill also stands 91 runs short of Kohli’s 655 as India captain vs England.

Three Matches. One Opportunity to Re-Write History

With three Tests still to play in this landmark series, Shubman Gill finds himself at the epicentre of cricketing history. His consistent brilliance has already earned him comparisons with the greats, and if he continues in this vein, the 2025 England tour might forever bear his name in cricket folklore.