Maintaining the upper hand, India aim to capitalize against a struggling England in the upcoming third Test match
Shubman Gill's Stunning Start to the 2025 England vs India Test Series Sets New Records and Invites Comparisons with Don Bradman
In the ongoing 2025 Test series between England and India, a new star has emerged in the form of Shubman Gill. The young Indian captain has been setting new benchmarks with his exceptional performances, drawing comparisons with some of the game's all-time greats, including the legendary Don Bradman.
## Record-Breaking Feats by Shubman Gill
Gill's recent performances have been nothing short of spectacular, particularly in the second Test at Edgbaston. He scored a colossal 269 in the first innings, marking the seventh-highest individual Test score by an Indian and the highest by an Indian captain in Tests, surpassing Virat Kohli's 254*. His aggregate of 430 runs (269 in the first innings, 161 in the second) at Edgbaston is the second-highest by any batter in a single Test match, only behind Graham Gooch's 456 against India in 1990.
Gill has amassed 585 runs in the first two Tests of the series at an average of 146.25, including two hundreds and a double hundred. This is the second-highest aggregate in the first two matches of a series, behind Graeme Smith's 621 in England in 2003. Furthermore, Gill became the first-ever batter to score a double hundred and a 150-plus score in the same Test match.
As a result of his impressive performances, Gill jumped 15 places to achieve a career-best ranking of No. 6 in the ICC Test batting rankings, with 807 rating points.
## Comparison with Don Bradman's Records
While Shubman Gill's start to the series is historic, Don Bradman's records remain in a league of their own, particularly for sustained runs across entire series and careers. Bradman holds the record for the most runs in a Test series (974 runs in the 1930 Ashes), the highest average in a series (minimum three innings, 201.50 in the 1947-48 Ashes), and career Test average (99.94).
Bradman's prolific run-scoring was sustained over long series and a decade of Test cricket, a feat that is rare even among modern greats. Gill's current run (585 in two Tests) is remarkable, but he needs to maintain this form over more matches to approach Bradman's series and career records. Bradman's 1930 Ashes saw him score triple-centuries and double-centuries in multiple matches.
## Other Similar Instances in Test Cricket
Several modern batsmen have had extraordinary starts to series or matches, but few have been as explosive as Gill in recent years. Graham Gooch (1990 vs India) scored 456 runs in a single Test (333 and 123), while Graeme Smith (2003 in England) scored 621 runs in the first two Tests of a series, setting the current benchmark that Gill nearly matched.
Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, and Kane Williamson have all had multiple double centuries in series, but not usually with the same match-to-match consistency as Gill is showing currently.
## Summary Table
| Player | Notable Achievement(s) | Series/Test Context | |------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------| | Shubman Gill | 585 runs in 2 Tests, 430 runs in one Test | 2025 England vs India | | Donald Bradman | 974 runs in a series, 99.94 career average | 1930 Ashes, career | | Graham Gooch | 456 runs in a single Test | 1990 vs India | | Graeme Smith | 621 runs in first two Tests of a series | 2003 in England |
## Conclusion
Shubman Gill's recent performances are among the best starts to a Test series in modern cricket history, with run aggregates and consistency that rival or surpass the best from the current era. However, comparisons with Don Bradman's records are limited by the sheer volume and consistency of Bradman's output across entire series and his career. Gill's feats, meanwhile, are already historic and place him among the elite company of modern greats.
Meanwhile, England is set to welcome back fast bowler Jofra Archer at Lord's, who last played a Test in 2019. Archer, who has a fine record at Lord's, with 32 wickets at an average of 12.90, will be crucial for England's chances in the third Test, starting on Thursday. Jasprit Bumrah, the world's top-ranked Test bowler, is expected to return to India's side after resting at Edgbaston. Bumrah aims to gain a place on the Lord's dressing room honors board for the first time in his career.
England captain Ben Stokes has praised Gill's performance, stating it has been "pretty special." Despite his poor performance in this series, Chris Woakes has a fine record at Lord's, and his ability to bounce back could be crucial for England. Akash Deep, who filled in as a stand-in, had a 10-wicket haul in Birmingham and is likely to keep his place.
The world of cricket acknowledges the artistic brilliance of Shubman Gill, as his record-breaking performances draw comparisons to legends such as Don Bradman. Meanwhile, the news buzzes with the impending return of Jofra Archer to the English team, coinciding with the upcoming football match (sports) at Lord's, marking an exciting overlap of two famous world arenas.
