Shubman Gill may have fallen agonisingly short of breaking Sunil Gavaskar’s iconic 54-year-old record, but he walked away with something just as special — the legend’s respect.
The 25-year-old India captain finished with 754 runs in the five-Test series against England, missing Gavaskar’s record of 774 runs (set in 1971 vs West Indies) by just 20. Gill was dismissed for 11 in the second innings of the final Test at The Oval, bowled by Gus Atkinson, halting his bid for history.
But what followed after the day’s play on Day 3 was a heartwarming moment that transcended statistics.
Sunil Gavaskar, part of the broadcast team, personally gifted Gill a signed cap and shirt — a rare gesture from one of Indian cricket’s most revered figures.
“This is a little cap, which I give to very few people with my signature,” Gavaskar told Gill, acknowledging the young captain’s remarkable feat.
“Don’t go by those 20 runs — just see what those 754 runs have done for Indian cricket.”
Gavaskar praised Gill’s composure and leadership, highlighting how the weight of captaincy made his tally even more impressive than his own.
“Mine came when I was just a youngster. If I had failed, nobody would have cared. But Gill, as captain, delivered when it mattered most.”
In a touching detail, Gavaskar also revealed that he would wear his ‘lucky jacket’ on Day 4 — the same one he had on during India’s famous 2021 win at the Gabba, when a young Gill scored a defining 91 to help seal a historic chase.
Gill’s series was nothing short of extraordinary. He began with a century at Headingley, followed by twin hundreds in Edgbaston, and another in the Manchester Test, bouncing back strongly after a quiet outing at Lord’s. His runs were not just weighty in volume, but in impact — anchoring India’s batting and setting the tone in pivotal moments.
As India closed in on a series-leveling win at The Oval, the gesture from Gavaskar — a living legend — served as a powerful symbol: the passing of the torch, and the acknowledgment of a new heir to India’s batting legacy.
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