India’s captain Shubman Gill (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)

Shubman Gill is enjoying the finest phase of his Test career since taking over the captaincy of the Indian team. The right-hander has transformed into a run-scoring machine in red-ball cricket, producing one remarkable performance after another while leading from the front.Gill’s latest century against Afghanistan further strengthened his incredible record as Test captain. The Indian skipper now has 1,076 runs in just 15 innings as captain, averaging a staggering 82.76, a figure that places him among the greatest leaders in the history of the format.After succeeding Rohit Sharma as India’s 37th Test captain, Gill has made a dream start to his leadership tenure. He became only the 11th Indian captain to score 1,000 Test runs, reaching the milestone in just 15 innings, the second-fastest among Indian captains behind Sunil Gavaskar, who achieved the feat in 14 innings. Gill also became the fastest Indian captain by time taken, needing only 351 days to cross the 1,000-run mark.The defining moment of his captaincy so far came during India’s demanding five-Test tour of England. Leading the side in his maiden assignment, Gill amassed a phenomenal 754 runs across the series as India fought back to secure a 2-2 draw. He also etched his name into the history books by becoming the first Indian captain to win a Test match at Edgbaston.His prolific run has now elevated him into elite company. Among captains with a minimum of 1,000 Test runs, Gill currently owns the second-highest batting average in Test history, trailing only the legendary Don Bradman.

India vs Afghanistan: First Innings Summary

Gill’s remarkable form continued in the one-off Test against Afghanistan at New Chandigarh, where he once again led from the front with a captain’s knock. India declared their first innings at a commanding 564/8 in 127 overs during the second session of Day 2 after a dominant batting display.Top PerformersShubman Gill (c): 126 (177 balls, 15 fours, 1 six)KL Rahul: 100 (165 balls, 11 fours)Sai Sudharsan: 81 (104 balls, 13 fours)Rishabh Pant: 81 (121 balls, 6 fours, 3 sixes)Washington Sundar: 52 (62 balls, 6 fours)*