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Shubman Gill matches India's elite captains feat to enter the fastest 1000 runs list

Akshita Patel

Fastest Indian captain to reach 1000 runs [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]Fastest Indian captain to reach 1000 runs [Source: @ImTanujSingh/X.com]

In the world of Test cricket, leading a team is a monumental task. To succeed with the bat and yet also carry the burden of the captaincy is not an easy feat.

Amongst Indian cricketers, there are a select few who have achieved 1000 Test runs as captain in the minimum number of innings. Shubman Gill, India’s newest Test skipper, has achieved this feat in a relatively quicker time, thus joining elite players in a prestigious list.

On that note, here’s a look at 5 batters who took the least number of innings to score 1000 international runs as captain.

5. Sourav Ganguly - 22 innings

5. Sourav Ganguly - 22 innings [Source: @ICC/X.com]5. Sourav Ganguly - 22 innings [Source: @ICC/X.com]

Sourav Ganguly, who became famous for his attacking captaincy, completed 1000 international runs as captain in 22 matches. He compiled over 7500 runs as captain in all formats with 16 hundreds. Ganguly's leadership style impacted a generation of cricketers, and he is well known to have transformed Indian cricket in the early 2000s.

4. Rohit Sharma - 20 innings

4. Rohit Sharma - 20 innings [Source: @Rajiv1841/X.com]4. Rohit Sharma - 20 innings [Source: @Rajiv1841/X.com]

Legendary cricketer Rohit Sharma reached 1000 runs as an Indian captain in 20 innings. Across Tests, ODIs and T20Is, Rohit hammered 5665 runs as skipper with 12 centuries. 

His promotion as opener changed the entire course of his career, and he went on to become one of India’s most explosive batters. Despite having retired from Test and T20I, Rohit still holds a special place in cricket fans’ hearts.

3. Shubman Gill – 17 innings

3. Shubman Gill – 17 innings [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]3. Shubman Gill – 17 innings [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/X.com]

The newest entrant in this list is Shubman Gill, the young prodigy, who achieved this milestone in 17 innings. Appointed as Test captain in June 2025, Gill scored 754 runs in the 5-game Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy alone. 

During the 2-game series against the West Indies, Gill again scored a century and achieved 1000 international runs as captain in just 17 innings. He is approaching 1000 runs as skipper in Tests alone, which could place him in the ranks of Sir Don Bradman. 

2. Mohammad Azharuddin - 16 innings

2. Mohammad Azharuddin - 16 innings [Source: @CricketopiaCom/X.com]2. Mohammad Azharuddin - 16 innings [Source: @CricketopiaCom/X.com]

The flamboyant former star, Mohammad Azharuddin, reached 1000 runs as captain in 16 innings. He captained India in a total of 221 international games, scoring 8095 runs with 14 centuries. 

Azharuddin's insightful calm and strategic mind led the team through troubled times of the 1980s and 1990s. Although Azharuddin's captaincy years concluded in controversy over match-fixing, his contribution on the field stands out.

1. Sunil Gavaskar & Virat Kohli - 15 innings

1. Sunil Gavaskar & Virat Kohli - 15 innings [Source: @BCCI, @ICC/X.com]1. Sunil Gavaskar & Virat Kohli - 15 innings [Source: @BCCI, @ICC/X.com]

Sunil Gavaskar, one of India's finest cricketing legends, was the first to reach 1000 international runs as captain in just 15 innings. His calm demeanour and technical superiority set a high standard for future leaders.

In the modern era, Virat Kohli equaled this record with more than 12,000 runs as Indian captain, 41 hundreds and a top score of 254 in Tests. Kohli's aggressive style and consistency have made him one of the most successful Indian captains.