Move over Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma! Shubman Gill puts captaincy worries to rest | Cricket News
The inaugural Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, a five-Test epic between two fierce cricketing teams, came to a thrilling conclusion at The Oval, with India edging England by six runs to level the series 2-2. The far from conventional series saw a marked generational shift in Indian cricket with the emergence of a young leader in Shubman Gill, India’s 37th Test captain.At just 25, Gill walked into his first full-time Test series as skipper with the added weight of history. India had not won a Test series in England since Rahul Dravid’s 2007 triumph, and even seasoned captains like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli had failed to conquer the English challenge. But Gill – leading a transitional squad without retired veterans Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin – not only held his own but also finished as the series’ highest run-getter, scoring a staggering 754 runs across five matches.
Shubman Gill against England in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy
- Matches: 5
- Innings: 10
- Runs: 754
- Average: 75.40
- Strike Rate: 65.57
- 100s: 4
- Highest Score: 269
There were many shining stars in India’s dramatic series: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top; Shubman Gill himself; Rishabh Pant batted despite a fracture and to cap it all off, Mohammed Siraj’s tireless efforts.A captain’s touch
It was not easy and there were brickbats about team selections, but Gill’s leadership impressed many, especially for its calmness under pressure. The young skipper marshalled his resources well, trusted Washington Sundar and Prasidh Krishna in key moments, and shouldered immense batting responsibility. His double-century at Edgbaston — a majestic 269 off 387 balls — was one of the finest Test knocks by an Indian abroad.How Gill compares to past captainsGill may have only just begun his journey as India’s Test captain, but his dream debut series against England already stacks up impressively against some of the biggest names to have led the country in whites this century.Gill’s records in the series put him comfortably ahead of Kohli – who scored 449 runs in two Tests in his first series as captain against Australia – and MS Dhoni – who began with 32 runs and a win against South Africa in 2008.
First Series as India Test Captain (Since 2000):
| Captain | Series (Opponent) | Result | Runs / Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shubman Gill | 2025 (vs England) | 2W-2L-1D | 754 runs |
| Rohit Sharma | 2022 (vs Sri Lanka) | 2W | 90 runs |
| KL Rahul | 2022 (vs South Africa) | 1L | 55 runs |
| Jasprit Bumrah | 2022 (vs England) | 1L | 38 runs & 5 wickets |
| Virat Kohli | 2014/15 (vs Australia) | 1L-1D | 449 runs |
| Ajinkya Rahane | 2017 (vs Australia) | 1W | 58 runs |
| MS Dhoni | 2008 (vs South Africa) | 1W | 32 runs |
| Anil Kumble | 2007 (vs Pakistan) | 1W-2D | 28 runs & 18 wickets |
| Virender Sehwag | 2005 (vs Sri Lanka) | 1W | 20 runs |
| Rahul Dravid | 2003 (vs New Zealand) | 1D | 18 runs |
| Sourav Ganguly | 2000 (vs Bangladesh) | 1W | 84 runs |
So one could argue, with Gill, India have gotten best of both worlds – a batter and a skipper.Second only to Gavaskar’s legendary debut seriesShubman Gill’s remarkable tally of 754 runs ranks as the second-highest aggregate by an Indian in a Test series. Only Sunil Gavaskar’s 774 runs against West Indies in 1970/71 stands above. Gill’s performance not only solidifies his place as India’s batting spearhead but also marks one of the finest debut series by a Test captain.
Most runs in a series for India
| Player | Opponent | Matches | Runs | Highest Score | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunil Gavaskar | West Indies (1970/71) | 4 | 774 | 220 | 154.80 |
| Shubman Gill | England (2025) | 5 | 754 | 269 | 75.40 |
| Sunil Gavaskar | West Indies (1978/79) | 6 | 732 | 205 | 91.50 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | England (2023/24) | 5 | 712 | 214* | 89.00 |
| Virat Kohli | Australia (2014/15) | 4 | 692 | 169 | 86.50 |
The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy lived up to its billing. India may not have won the series outright, but in many ways, this felt like a victory — a passing of the baton to the next generation. Shubman Gill’s performance as captain — statistically the best first series by an Indian skipper ever — sets the tone for an exciting new era.
