India captain Shubman Gill has opened the five-Test series against England in exciting style, scoring more than 585 runs in the first two matches alone.
With three Tests remaining to play, the gifted opener is not only driving India towards possible series triumph but also on the cusp of breaking some of the greatest records in Test cricket history — a large number of which are held by the legendary Sir Donald Bradman.
As the action now transfers to the historic Lord's Cricket Ground, Gill is at the cusp of greatness, with a good chance of setting several sights in multiple landmarks if he continues his fireworks in Leeds and Birmingham.
One of the most prominent records within Gill's grasping distance is the most runs in a single Test series as captain — the record, held by Sir Don Bradman, currently. The Australian great had amassed 810 runs in a five-match Ashes series back in 1936–37. Having 585 already under his belt, Gill has only 225 more runs from the six remaining innings to rewrite history.
Bradman also leads the overall list for most runs in a Test series with 974 runs in the 1930 Ashes. For Gill to break this all-time record, he will have to contribute another 390 runs to his existing score – a tall but not unachievable order considering his current form.
Bradman's record of being the quickest to 1000 Test runs as captain — done in only 11 innings — can also fall. Gill has already made 585 runs in only 4 innings. If he maintains this pace, he can become the first one to score 1000 runs in fewer than Bradman's innings, marking a new standard in Test captaincy.
In the century tally, Gill is nearing another exclusive club. Bradman is the record for centuries by a captain in a Test series, and West Indies legend Clyde Walcott is the all-time record holder with five hundreds from the 1955 series against Australia. With several centuries already in this series, Gill now has one more to equal Bradman's captaincy record and two to reach Walcott's all-time best.
Astoundingly, no batsman — not even Bradman — has reached 1000 runs in a five-Test series. That elusive target is still one of the only untouched summits in the system. With six innings remaining and 415 runs to get there, Gill stands an actual chance of achieving something no batter previously has, potentially entering cricketing legend.
As the series enters its third chapter at Lord's, the focus will continue to be squarely on Shubman Gill — not only as a leader but also as a potential record-breaker who could redefine what's achievable in Test cricket.
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