Gill vs the Don: Will Shubman be able to break Bradman’s century-old records?

India captain Shubman Gill is turning this England series into an attempt to rewrite cricket’s history books. After piling up a jaw-dropping 585 runs in just the first two Tests of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy — including a surreal 430-run haul at Edgbaston with scores of 269 and 161 — Gill has shattered several big Indian records and now has some of Sir Don Bradman’s longest-standing feats in his crosshairs.

Gill’s Edgbaston epic saw him leapfrog Virat Kohli’s record for most runs by an Indian captain in an innings, break Sunil Gavaskar’s mark for most runs by an Indian in a Test match, become the first Asian captain to score a double ton in SENA countries, and the first player ever to register both a double century and a 150 in the same Test.

However, it might just be the beginning. With three Tests left, Gill is within striking distance of at least four Bradman records that have stood untouched for nearly a century. The most immediate target: Bradman’s 810 runs as captain in the 1936–37 Ashes — a feat Gill is just 225 runs shy of matching, all in what is also his debut series as full-time Test skipper.

The big daddy of them all? Bradman’s mythical 974 runs in a single Test series, set during the 1930 Ashes in England. Gill trails by 390 runs, but considering he’s already outpaced Bradman’s own two-Test start to that series (Gill: 585; Bradman: 394), cricket fans dare to dream.

“I hope he does that... he is in great form, and he should do it,” backed former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar, adding voice to what the entire cricketing world is thinking.

Other Bradman milestones also tempt Gill: fastest to 1000 runs as captain (Bradman did it in 11 innings; Gill needs 415 in the next six) and most hundreds in a series. West Indies great Clyde Walcott holds that record with five tons in 1955; Bradman’s best as captain was four. Gill already has three.

Gill is also closing in on Indian records:

• Needs just 148 more runs to topple Gavaskar’s 732 as the most by an Indian captain in a series.
• Just 18 runs shy of Rahul Dravid’s 602, the highest by an Indian batter in a Test series in England.
• Only 127 away from Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 712 — the Indian record for most runs against England.
• And 91 runs to beat Virat Kohli’s 655 as an Indian captain vs England.

If he keeps batting the way he is, history might need an update — with Gill’s name etched right next to The Don himself.