Shubman Gill Joins Don Bradman in Elite Test Captaincy Records

Shubman Gill has etched his name into cricket history after scoring a magnificent 126 against Afghanistan in the solitary Test at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. The innings helped him cross 1000 Test runs as captain within a single calendar year — a feat no Indian men’s skipper has ever achieved before.

A Record-Breaking Year at the Helm

Gill entered the second day of the Test on 103 not out, having already made history on Day 1 by becoming the first Indian male captain to reach the 1000-run mark in a year. When he was eventually dismissed for 126 off 177 balls, his tally for the year as captain stood at 1076 runs at a stunning average of 82.8. The numbers place him in truly rarefied air — only the legendary Don Bradman, widely regarded as cricket’s greatest ever batter, holds a better Test captaincy average among those who have scored a minimum of 1000 runs in the role.

Where Gill Stands Among the Greats

The list of captains who follow Gill reads like a who’s who of batting royalty. Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara averaged 69.6 from 1601 runs as skipper, while Australia’s Steven Smith — one of the modern era’s finest — averages 68.1 from 4425 runs. Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka rounds out the top four with 3665 runs at 59.1. The fact that Gill, still in the early stages of his captaincy tenure, already outranks all of them is a remarkable statement of his form and temperament.

Meanwhile, India were comfortably placed at 475 for 6 at lunch on Day 2, with Rishabh Pant contributing a stroke-filled 81 before being dismissed by Afghanistan debutant spinner Nangeyalia Kharote.