Test cricket is one of the purest and toughest formats compared to the white-ball format. The game has seen many legendary cricketers and captains, who have etched their names in the glory books. Achieving the most runs in a Test series as a skipper is a testament to extraordinary leadership combined with individual batting performance. This showcases a class of a player who not only carries his team on his shoulders by leading a national side but also dominates with the bat against the tough bowling attack. These batters deliver match-winning performances with the bat throughout a Test series. Most Runs in a Test Series: From Don Bradman to Viv Richards, Check List of Batters.

These remarkable accomplishments help a captain to put himself on the elite list in the longest format. The record of most runs in a Test series by a captain is not easily broken. It highlights a rare blend of individual excellence with the bat, where a captain leads from the front. These performances are etched in cricketing books and are remembered for a long period of time. On that note, take a look at the top five batters with the most runs in a Test series as a captain. Most Runs in a Test Series by an India Captain: From Shubman Gill to Virat Kohli, Check List.

Most Runs in a Test Series by a Captain

Name Matches Runs Highest Score Centuries Half-Centuries Opponent Year
Sir Don Bradman 5 810 270 3 1 England 1936/37
Shubman Gill 5 754 269 4 - England 2025
Graham Gooch 3 752 333 3 2 India 1990
Sunil Gavaskar 6 732 205 4 1 West Indies 1978/79
David Gower

 

 6 732 215 3 1 Australia 1985

 

Australian legend Sir Don Bradman holds the record for scoring the most runs in a Test series as a captain. Don Bradman amassed 810 runs in five matches against England in the 1936/37 series. The former cricketer smashed three centuries and one half-century. India national cricket team star batter Shubman Gill had a dream run with the bat in the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy 2025 in England. In the five-match Test series, Gill made 754—the second most—with the help of four centuries.

Former England cricketer Graham Gooch is ranked second in the elite list. Gooch hammered 752 runs during a three-match Test series against India in 1990. Gooch notched up three centuries and two half-centuries during that series. Great Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar, who is also known as the Little Master, scored 732 runs in a six-match Test series against the West Indies in 1978/79. During the series, Gavaskar smashed four centuries and one half-century.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 31, 2025 08:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).