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Shubman Gill Slams Gritty Ton; Here Are Top 3 Test Knocks By Indian Captains In Manchester

Aakash Saini

Shubman Gill cranks up a century at Old Trafford [Source: @BCCI/x]Shubman Gill cranks up a century at Old Trafford [Source: @BCCI/x]

Shubman Gill punched out his ninth Test century and his fourth of the ongoing five-match series against England by composing a rebellious innings on Day 4 and Day 5. Shubman’s latest batting masterclass also made him only the second Indian captain in history to notch up a Test century at the iconic Old Trafford in Manchester.

Celebrating Shubman’s heroics, here is a look at top three highest individual scores registered by Indian captains at Old Trafford in Test cricket.

3. MS Dhoni – 71 runs vs England, 2014

MS Dhoni unfurled a fighting 71 to top-score in India’s dismal 152-run total back in August 2014 during the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. Batting at number six, the then Indian captain was forced to arrive to the middle after witnessing his top-order getting blown away by James Anderson and Stuart Broad at 8-4 in the first morning.

Forming forces with Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin, MS Dhoni forged two vital partnerships to stabilise the faltering Indian innings to some extent. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter himself fought his way for 133 deliveries, dispatching 15 of them for thumping boundaries. 

Dhoni eventually became the penultimate wicket to fall in the innings as India folded up for just 152 in 46.4 overs. The visitors never truly recovered from their early setback as they lost the Test by an innings and 54 runs to go 1-2 down in the five-match series.

2. Shubman Gill – 103 runs vs England, 2025

Leading Team India on his maiden voyage in Tests, Shubman Gill entered the fourth match of the series as captain against England in mid-2025 after cracking three tons in the first three matches. 

Facing a deficit of 311 runs at the halfway stage of the match at Old Trafford in Manchester, India lost Yashasvi Jaiswal and B Sai Sudharsan both for ducks in the first over without notching up a single run on the board.

Shubman Gill subsequently waged India’s spirited fightback alongside opener KL Rahul by sharing a 188-run third-wicket partnership. 

Captain Gill himself went on to tally 103 runs from 238 balls with 12 boundaries, thus becoming only the second Indian skipper in Test history to score a century at Old Trafford.

1. Mohammad Azharuddin – 179 runs vs England, 1990

The Indian cricket team toured England in mid-1990 for a three-match Test series under the leadership of Mohammad Azharuddin. After losing the first Test, Indian bowlers conceded 519 runs against England to start off the second Test at Old Trafford in Manchester on a dismal note. 

Further slipping to 57-3, captain Azharuddin shared a courageous 189-run partnership with Sanjay Manjrekar, and another 112 runs with then youngster Sachin Tendulkar to take India past the 350-run mark.

Azharuddin himself recorded 179 runs from 243 balls with 21 boundaries and one huge six, thus maintaining an explosive batting strike rate of nearly 75 in the process. Despite Mohammad Azharuddin’s heroics, Sachin Tendulkar hogged the limelight with the bat for his fifty and a century as Team India valiantly saved the Test to enforce a decider.