Pataudi, Gill, Tendulkar, Kohli (Source: @ICC/X.com, @CrickeTendulkar/X.com)
India has had a long history of successful Test captains who have dominated not only with the bat and with their captaincy skills, as well. In the past, there have been some tremendous skippers who have put on double tons to rescue their side and provide them with a solid score.
Current Indian skipper Shubman Gill's terrific 200 against England is a testament to that statement, as he keeps England on their toes. With this, he is now one of the youngest players to score a double hundred as Test captain. Therefore, in this article, we will have a look at players who were the youngest to score a double hundred as the Indian skipper in Test history.
4. Virat Kohli - 27y 260d vs WI, North Sound, 2016
At number four on this list is former Indian legendary skipper Virat Kohli. With his aura and dynamism, Kohli transformed the face of Indian Test cricket, as his aggressive captaincy shaped India's future in Test cricket. However, with the bat, Kohli was an even bigger gun, who would dominate the opposition single-handedly with massive scores after his name.
Kohli, who has scored seven 200s in Test cricket, smashed his first one against West Indies back in 2016, when he was just 27 years and 259 days old. He thumped a perfect 200 off 283 deliveries, smashing 24 boundaries in the first innings as he helped India post a massive total of 566 on the board, where the visitors won the game in Antigua by an innings and 92 runs, on the back of Kohli's tremendous effort with the bat. Following this, he went on to score six more double centuries and became one of the finest players to play red-ball cricket.
3. Sachin Tendulkar - 26y 189d vs NZ, Ahmedabad, 1999
At number three on this list is another legendary Indian batter, Sachin Tendulkar. Known as the God of Cricket, Tendulkar smashed a total of 51 centuries in 200 Test matches. Also, he scored a lone double century in Test cricket as captain, which came against New Zealand in Ahmedabad back in 1999, when he was just 26 years and 188 days old.
Scoring 217 after facing 344 deliveries with 29 boundaries, Tendulkar was dominant in anything he did, as his massive score helped India put 583 on the board. Although the match was drawn but, it is remembered for Tendulkar's yet another masterclass that shaped the Indian cricketing era.
2. Shubman Gill - 25y 298d vs ENG, Edgbaston, 2025
At number two on this list is the current Indian skipper, Shubman Gill. At just 25 years and 279 days of age, Gill embarked on a journey with his terrific 200, coming off 311 deliveries, where he smashed England all around the park at Edgbaston in Birmingham. By the time of writing, Gill crossed the 250-run mark and is now on his journey to greatness, with runs oozing out of his bat against the English bowling lineup.
India had already crossed the 500-run mark and were even looking at a score they could defend this time around against the Three Lions. In the upcoming years, Gill is expected to lead by example, as not only his batting but also his captaincy skills will be on display, which will remind everyone of India's great batting era.
1. MAK Pataudi - 23y 39d vs ENG, Delhi, 1964
Bettering all these players on the list, at number one is India's finest, one of the most promising players and the one recognised by all, Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, or MAK Pataudi. Back in the year 1964, against England in Delhi, Pataudi played a brilliant unbeaten 203-run knock, as he hit 23 boundaries and two maximums in the third innings of the fourth Test, whereas the match ended in a draw.
The most significant thing of all these is that his age was just 23 years and 34 days. Therefore, Pataudi was the youngest ever to score a double hundred for India as Test captain, a record which he still holds to date, as no other skipper in Indian history has managed to surpass Pataudi in this landmark. On the legacy written by Pataudi, the previously mentioned captains have successfully conquered the world with their bat.
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