Highest Test series run tally by a team captain to test your knowledge
In the realm of Test cricket, several captains have etched their names in history by scoring over 500 runs in a single series. This impressive feat has been achieved by numerous skippers, with some achieving it more than once.
One of the most recent captains to accomplish this milestone is Shubman Gill, who scored an impressive 743 runs as captain of the Indian team in the 2025 Test series against England. This record-breaking performance surpassed Sunil Gavaskar's previous record of 732 runs in the 1978-79 series against the West Indies.
Virat Kohli, India's former captain, also joins the list with over 500 runs in multiple series. He scored 655 runs in five matches against England in 2016 and 610 runs in three matches against Sri Lanka in 2017.
The list of captains who have achieved this feat includes legends such as Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, Alastair Cook, Misbah-ul-Haq, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews, and AB de Villiers.
Steve Waugh and Captain Cook are also part of this esteemed group, having scored over 500 runs in a Test series at least once.
Interestingly, in the 2025 India-England series, multiple Indian players, including Captain Shubman Gill, crossed the 500-run mark, making it a rare high-scoring series for both captains and players.
It's worth noting that this isn't a one-off occurrence. A Test captain has scored over 500 runs in a single bilateral series on 53 different occasions.
Moreover, eight captains have scored over 700 runs in a single Test series, a testament to their exceptional batting skills and leadership.
This demonstrates that the art of scoring over 500 runs in a Test series is a rare and coveted achievement in the world of Test cricket, with a handful of captains having achieved this milestone throughout history.
[1] Source: Cricket Archive (Accessed on August 15, 2025) [2] Source: ESPN Cricinfo (Accessed on August 15, 2025) [3] Source: ICC (Accessed on August 15, 2025) [4] Source: Cricbuzz (Accessed on August 15, 2025)
- In the realm of international cricket, news of Shubman Gill's record-breaking 743 runs as captain of the Indian team in the 2025 Test series against England has made headlines in sports sections worldwide.
- Beyond Test cricket, various sports media outlets, such as Cricket Archive, ESPN Cricinfo, ICC, and Cricbuzz, continuously deliver cricket news, updating fans about the outstanding performances of captains like Shubman Gill.
