Top 5 highest scores by Indian captains in test cricket

Only six Indian captains have hit double centuries in test cricket.

India have been blessed to have some of the greatest captains in test cricket. From Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi to Mohammad Azharuddin and Sourav Ganguly to Virat Kohli, some incredible leaders have taken Indian cricket forward.

These legends have not only impacted the game with their leadership, but also by leading the team from the front. Over the years, some incredible performances have been recorded by an Indian captain in test matches.

This article is also related to some historic performances by Indian captains in test cricket. Here we will talk about the top five highest scores by an Indian captain in tests.

List of Top 5 highest scores by Indian captains in test cricket

5. MS Dhoni – 224 vs Australia, Chennai, 2013

MS Dhoni‘s career-best test score is the fifth-highest score by an Indian captain in test cricket. He slammed his only double hundred in a home test against Australia in Chennai in 2013. Dhoni scored 224 runs off 265 balls, with 24 fours and six sixes in the first innings.

India won that game by eight wickets, and Dhoni won the Player of the Match award. For a few years, this remained the highest score by an Indian captain in tests until Virat Kohli broke it.

4. Virat Kohli – 236 vs England, Wankhede, 2016

Virat Kohli scored seven double centuries as a test captain, which is a world record. One of those came in 2016 at Wankhede Stadium against England. India won this game by an innings and 36 runs.

Virat scored a mammoth 236 runs off 340 balls, with 25 fours and one six, to take India to 631, which turned out to be a winning score. With this innings, Virat broke Dhoni’s record for highest test score by an Indian captain.

3. Virat Kohli – 243 vs Sri Lanka, Delhi, 2017

The third-highest test score by an Indian captain also belongs to Virat Kohli. It came during his golden period between 2016 and 2019, when he slammed seven double centuries.

It came in a home test against Sri Lanka in Delhi in 2017. In the first innings, Virat scored 243 off 287 balls, with 25 fours. He also scored 50 in the second innings and won Player of the Match award.

2. Virat Kohli – 254* vs South Africa, Pune, 2019

Virat’s highest test score is the second-highest test score by an Indian captain. The best knock of his test cricket career came against South Africa in Pune during the home series in 2019. Virat scored unbeaten 254 off 336 balls, with 33 fours and two sixes, and India declared at 601/5.

South Africa scored 275 and 189 and lost the game by an innings and 137 runs. This innings remained at the top of this elite record for more than five years and still is one of the best innings by a test captain overall.

1. Shubman Gill – 269 vs England, Birmingham, 2025

Virat’s long-lasting record of highest test score by an Indian captain was broken by Shubman Gill in 2025. After scoring a century on his captaincy debut, Gill went on to make history in only his third innings as test captain.

He slammed a double century against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham and broke multiple records. He became the first Asian captain with a double century in SENA countries and scored 269 runs in his innings.

(All stats updated till 3rd July, 2025)

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.