As a debut captain in tests, Shubman Gill had a fabulous start to the ongoing five-match test series in the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy against England and is on the verge of becoming the New-Age King. The 25-year-old deserved the No.4 spot in the batting order, which he overtook from the legendary batter Virat Kohli after his test cricket retirement.
Also, this series marked the first instance of Gill batting at the fourth position in just three test matches. But, the right-handed batter accumulated 607 runs in 6 innings at an average of 101.16 and a strike rate of 71.83, which included three centuries (which includes a double century as well).
In other words, Gill is currently the leading run-scorer of the current Anderson Tendulkar Trophy, being the only batter to amass 600+ runs so far.
Especially his twin centuries in the Birmingham test not only made him shatter several records, but also lit up hopes among fans and experts that he could break several records.
With two more test matches to go, the main question arises whether Gill can break Australia’s legendary batter Sir Don Bradman’s record to surpass the 1,000-run mark in the England series.
First Batsman in Cricket History to Score 1,000 Runs in a Series
Back in the 1930 Ashes, Don Bradman smashed 974 runs, which is currently the most by any batter in a single test series, and here is a detailed list of those top five batters:
| S.No | Batsman | Team | Series | Runs |
| 1. | Don Bradman | Australia | The Ashes 1930 | 974 Runs in 7 Innings (5 Matches) |
| 2. | Wally Hammond | England | The Ashes 1928-29 | 905 Runs in 9 Innings (7 Matches) |
| 3. | Mark Taylor | Australia | The Ashes 1989 | 839 Runs in 11 Innings (6 Matches) |
| 4. | Neil Harvey | Australia | South Africa Tour of Australia 1952 | 834 Runs in 9 Innings (5 Matches) |
| 5. | Viv Richards | West Indies | The Wisden Trophy 1976 (West Indies Tour of England) | 829 Runs in 7 Innings (4 Matches) |
On the other hand, Shubman Gill has so far scored 607 runs and requires another 393 runs to surpass that record. By doing so, he would become the first batsman in cricket history to reach the 1,000-run milestone in a single test series against any opponent.
Anderson Tendulkar Trophy 2025: Higher Chances for Gill to Score 1,000 Runs in a Single Test Series
In the first two test matches against England in Anderson Tendulkar Trophy, Shubman Gill had a solid start by scoring 585 runs. In contrast, Bradman in the first two tests of The Ashes 1930 managed to score only 394 runs.
The following table illustrates a comparison of the scores between these two batters in the first two tests in England:
| Test Matches against England in a series | Shubman Gill Test Runs (in 2025 vs England) | Don Bradman Runs (in 1930 vs England) |
| 1st Test (1st Innings) | 147 | 8 |
| 1st Test (2nd Innings) | 8 | 131 |
| 2nd Test (1st Innings) | 269 | 254 |
| 2nd Test (2nd Innings) | 161 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 585 Runs in 2 Tests | 394 Runs in 2 Tests |
3 Big Challenges for Shubman Gill to Cross 1,000 Run Mark in ENG vs IND Test Series 2025
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill faces tough challenges to cross the 1,000-run mark in the ongoing series, particularly after a disappointing performance in the ongoing 3rd test against England. Here are those 3 obstacles the young batter needs to overcome to break Don Bradman’s record:
1. Centuries in the Upcoming 2 Matches:
As Shubman Gill managed to accumulate only 24 runs in both innings of the ongoing 3rd test (16 and 8 runs respectively), the only way left for him to score 1,000 runs in this series is to accomplish centuries in the upcoming two matches.
Scoring centuries in four consecutive test innings is one such rare record that would certainly be a daunting task for Gill. This is because only these four batters in cricket history have managed to score tons in four or more consecutive test innings:
- Everton Weekes (West Indies): 5
- Jack Fingleton (Australia): 4
- Alan Melville (South Africa): 4
- Rahul Dravid (India): 4
2. Bradman vs Gill Runs After 3rd Test
As discussed earlier, Shubman Gill had a strong start over Don Bradman by scoring 585 runs in the first two tests against England.
But, after a lackluster performance in the ongoing test at Lord’s, Gill’s overall runs in the series tally upto 607 runs after playing three test matches. At this stage, Bradman’s tally surged to 724 runs after he scored a 334-run knock in the 3rd test match of The Ashes 1930.
3. 1,000 Runs in a Test Series as Captain
During the Ashes 1930, Don Bradman accumulated 974 runs, but it was under Bill Woodfull’s captaincy that he came closer to the 1,000 run mark.
As a captain, Bradman managed to score 810 runs in 5 test matches during the 1936–37 Ashes, which includes 3 centuries and a half-century, averaging at 90, which is the most by any test skipper in a single series.
On the other hand, Gill has currently amassed 607 runs in the current series at an average of 101.16. He requires another 225 runs in the upcoming 2 test matches to overtake Bradman’s tally and become the leading run scorer in a test series as a captain.
However, none of the captains have not even managed to reach nearer to the 1,000-run mark in a test series including Bradman.
As Gill faces pressure as a captain to win the test series on English soil, he also endures an additional responsibility of maintaining consistent batting performances.
Overall Analysis
Despite the tough challenges ahead, Shubman Gill’s strong defensive techniques in the longest format make him the strongest contender to cross the 1,000-run mark in the test series against England. His ability to bat for longer hours can easily help his team accumulate huge runs.
In conclusion, Gill’s chances to become the “MODERN ERA KING” completely depend upon his performance in the upcoming 4th test of the series at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, starting on July 23.