When Shubman Gill was announced as the new captain of the Indian Test team right before the England tour, many considered it a bold decision, but hardly anyone would have imagined that Gill would not only emerge as an impressive captain.
Sports News: The ongoing five-match Test series between India and England is nearing its end, but Indian captain Shubman Gill has made this series historic. At just 24 years old, Gill, after taking over the captaincy of Team India, has not only strengthened the team but has also created many records by performing exceptionally well with the bat. In the Oval Test, as soon as Gill scored his first run, he broke a 59-year-old world record, creating history.
Garry Sobers' 1966 Record Broken
When Gill came out to bat in the Oval Test against England, India had lost KL Rahul's wicket with a score of 38. As soon as Gill opened his account on the sixth ball, his total runs in the Test series reached 723. With this, he became the batsman with the most runs as captain in a Test series in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries. Previously, this record was held by West Indies' great all-rounder Garry Sobers, who scored 722 runs against England in 1966.
Gill's record is also special because he achieved this performance on foreign soil, along with the pressure of captaincy. This consistency of Gill is a good sign for the future of Indian cricket.
Sunil Gavaskar Also Surpassed
Gill achieved another major milestone in the Oval Test. He has now become the highest run-scorer for India as captain in a Test series. In this regard, he has surpassed legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar. Gavaskar scored 732 runs as captain against the West Indies in 1978-79, while Gill has crossed this figure and achieved a new milestone.
Gill's feat is also remarkable because he made this record in an era where consistently scoring runs in Test cricket and balancing the pressure of captaincy is extremely challenging.
How Have Gill's Figures Been So Far?
Shubman Gill has scored 4 centuries and 2 half-centuries in 5 matches so far in this Test series. His average is above 80 and the strike rate has also been commendable. He has looked capable of batting in every situation — whether it is a bouncing track or swinging English bowling. His technique, composure, and balance of aggression are making him the most successful batsman of this series.
Talking about captaincy, Gill has also impressed everyone with his field placement, rotation of bowlers, and decision-making ability against England. His strategies and faith in young players are helping the team move forward.
