Top 3 Indian captains with highest Test score in an innings
India has one rich legacy to boast about when it comes to captains. From Kapil Dev leading the team to its first-ever World Cup to MS Dhoni finally putting an end to the drought for the next one, greats have graced Indian cricket. When it comes to Tests, the team has been just as fortunate to see some brilliant cricketing minds taking the lead. Virat Kohli, for instance, is still regarded as the one to bring about a shift in Indian Test cricket, not just with regards to India's standing in SENA conditions but also boosting confidence and aggression in the group. While these great names are regarded as the best leaders that India ever saw, the likes of Kohli and Dhoni exemplified, "Leading from the front." Now, as Indian Test cricket turns another page with a new and young captain, Shubman Gill is already topping the record charts as one of the Indian captains with the highest Test score in an innings.
A look at the Indian captains with the highest Test score in an innings
MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and now Shubman Gill, the Test captains of India have shown an impressive tendency to perform with the bat while leading the unit. While the load of captaincy is proven to take a significant toll on a player, the above-mentioned players have shone brightly under their roles. For almost a decade, Virat Kohli, who succeeded MS Dhoni as India's Test captain in 2014, led the run chart as the Indian captain with the highest Test score in an innings. Now, as Shubman Gill took the reins from Rohit Sharma right ahead of the India vs England series, the youngster was quick to surpass his seniors in the list.
1. Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill claimed India's Test captaincy ahead of the start of the new WTC Cycle earlier this year. Gill's selection for the all-important role met significant inhibition. The fraternity highlighted Gill's lacking batting credentials in the format, especially in SENA conditions. However, the young leader defied the doubters as soon as he took charge at Headingley. Gill stamped the start of his Test captaincy stint with a century in the first India vs England Test, shining bright in his new role. However, the ton in the Headingley Test was just the prelude to the main show.
Shubman Gill arrived at Edgbaston to level the five-match series, and he did it while leading from the front. The opening innings of the Edgbaston Test witnessed Gill scoring a double ton at the iconic venue. The skipper furthermore added to his runs in the match with another century in the second innings. In total, with his 269-run knock in the first innings and the 161-run knock in the next innings, Gill scored 430 runs in Birmingham.
His record-breaking batting in the opening innings, where he scored a double ton, propelled Shubman Gill to the top of the list of Indian captains with the highest Test score in an innings. Already having surpassed Rahul Dravid as the highest Test run-scorer for India in England, Gill looks poised to break more batting records in the upcoming matches of the India vs England series.
2. Virat Kohli
The list of highest Test scores for India as a captain mentions Virat Kohli thrice after Gill. 'King' Kohli, also known as the Indian run machine and the Chase Master, saw his bat become the loudest in the Indian camp when he led the team. This specific record, Kohli first broke in 2016, the year when the cricketing world saw the real mirth of the Indian batsman.
The Indian Test captain took on England, smashing 235 runs in an innings at Wankhede. Not even a year later, in 2017, Kohli hit another double ton, charging against Sri Lanka this time and scoring 243 in Delhi, his home ground. However, his best show came in 2019, against South Africa, where Virat Kohli remained not out on 254 in Pune.
3. MS Dhoni
Three years before Virat Kohli topped the chart, MS Dhoni held the record as the Indian captain with the highest Test score in an innings. Dhoni, who batted down the order as India's designated leader and wicketkeeper, hit his best form against the touring Kangaroos. The skipper smashed 224 against Australia in 2013, in Chennai, his alternate home ground. The record-breaking knock saw Dhoni surpass Sachin Tendulkar in the list, who had scored 217 against New Zealand back in 1999.
