Shubman Gill carved his name into cricketing history on Sunday, becoming the first Asian batter to amass 700 runs in a single Test series played in England. The landmark was reached during the ongoing fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester, where Gill continued a rich vein of form that has underpinned India’s charge against the hosts.
The 25-year-old right-hander surpassed the long-standing record held by Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf, who had scored 631 runs during the 2006 England tour. Gill breached the mark on Saturday with a modest 13-run contribution in the second session but pushed on in the second innings to cross the 700-run threshold. He remained unbeaten on 700*, with his highest score in the series being a formidable 269.
This feat also makes Gill the first Asian cricketer to record 700 runs in a Test series in any of the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) nations, a milestone once held by Virat Kohli, who had scored 692 in the 2014–15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
Among the greats
With this, Gill joins an elite league of Indian batters who have crossed 700 runs in a single Test series. Sunil Gavaskar continues to hold the record with 774 runs against the West Indies in 1971, followed by his 732-run haul in 1978–79. Yashasvi Jaiswal had recently scored 712 against England in India during the 2024 series. Gill now becomes the third Indian to achieve this feat, with the added distinction of doing so overseas.
If he adds 13 more in the second innings at Manchester, Gill will surpass Jaiswal’s record for most runs by an Indian in a Test series against England.
Also read: Gill stands firm as India limp to 86/2 on Day 4
Most runs by an Asian in SENA Test Series
- Shubman Gill (India) – 700* in England, 2025
- Virat Kohli (India) – 692 in Australia, 2014–15
- Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan) – 631 in England, 2006
- Rahul Dravid (India) – 619 in Australia, 2003–04
- Rahul Dravid – 602 in England, 2002
Gill’s current campaign surpasses even some of the most prolific seasons by Indian legends, such as Kohli’s 655 in India (2016) and Dravid’s 602 in 2002 in England.
Gill’s contributions have been pivotal in a hard-fought series, marked by testing conditions, seam movement, and match-defining spells from England’s fast bowlers. Yet, the Indian captain’s calm at the crease, technical assurance, and shot selection have elevated his stature as a top-order mainstay.
His double-century in Nottingham, gritty half-centuries in Leeds and Birmingham, and a composed innings at Old Trafford demonstrate a cricketer entering his prime.
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