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Shubman Gill Reigns Supreme: Indian Captains With Most Runs In A Test Series

Kaushik Kashyap

Indian Test Captains. [Source - BCCI/x.com]Indian Test Captains. [Source - BCCI/x.com]

Leading from the front has always been the mark of India’s finest Test captains. Nothing reflects that better than delivering with the bat under pressure. Several captains turned high-stakes series into personal triumphs, balancing leadership duties with remarkable individual performances.

In this listicle, we spotlight those Indian Test captains who delivered exceptional batting performances in a single series. From iconic overseas tours to dominant home campaigns, these leaders showed that captaincy and run-scoring brilliance can go hand in hand.

5. Virat Kohli – 593 runs vs England (2018)

Arguably India’s finest Test captain and one of its greatest batters, Virat Kohli was at his best during the 2018 Test series in England, scoring 593 runs in five matches at an average of 59.30. He began the series with a brilliant 149 at Edgbaston and went on to register two centuries and three fifties. Despite India losing the series 4–1, Kohli’s form was a standout, showcasing his class in challenging conditions.

4. Virat Kohli – 610 runs vs Sri Lanka (2017)

Kohli’s dominance at home reached new heights during the 2017 series against Sri Lanka. In just three Tests, he piled up 610 runs at an astonishing average of 152.50, scoring centuries in all three matches, including double tons in the second and third Tests. India won the series convincingly, with Kohli’s bat doing most of the talking.

3. Virat Kohli – 655 runs vs England (2016)

Kohli features yet again, this time for his stellar performance in the 2016 home series against England. In the five-match contest, he amassed 655 runs at an impressive average of 109.16. With two centuries and a memorable double hundred in Mumbai, Kohli led from the front with the bat as India clinched the series convincingly.

2. Sunil Gavaskar – 732 runs vs West Indies (1978-79)

At number two is the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, who delivered a stunning performance as captain during the 1978-79 home series against the West Indies. He scored 732 runs at an average of 91.50 in the six-match series, including four centuries and a double hundred in Mumbai. His record stood as the highest run tally by an Indian Test skipper in a series for over four decades before Shubman Gill broke it in 2025.

1. Shubman Gill – 737 runs vs England (2025)*

Topping the list is Shubman Gill, the modern-day star who delivered a dream debut series as Test captain in England in 2025. In unfamiliar conditions away from home, Gill amassed 737 runs at an average of 92.12, including four centuries and a brilliant double hundred in Birmingham. Remarkably, he is still going strong in the ongoing series, rewriting records with every innings.