List Of India Players Who Have Scored A Century In Test Captaincy Debut

Scoring a century in Test cricket is a big deal for any player, but doing it in your very first match as captain makes it even more special. There’s a lot of pressure that comes with leading the team—making decisions, handling expectations, and still performing with the bat. Not many have managed to do all of that at once, which is why only 33 players in Test history have scored a hundred on their captaincy debut.

Among them, just five are Indians—and the latest to join that list is Shubman Gill. In the 2025 Test against England at Headingley, Gill stepped up as captain after Rohit Sharma retired from the format. With conditions tough and questions around his leadership, he answered in the best way possible: by scoring a brilliant century. His knock, along with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s earlier hundred, put India in a strong position and made Gill the newest name on a rare and proud list.

1. Vijay Hazare - 164* vs England, 1951, Delhi

Vijay Hazare, the legendary Indian batter, was the first player to score a century in his debut match as captain of India. Fittingly, this memorable innings came against England in Delhi. 

Although the match ended in a draw, Hazare's brilliant knock powered India to a commanding total of 418 for 6 declared. Remarkably, he became only the third player in Test history to score 150 or more runs in his first match as captain, following in the footsteps of Australia's Clement Hill and Warwick Armstrong.

2. Sunil Gavaskar - 116 vs New Zealand, 1976, Auckland

Sunil Gavaskar, widely regarded as India's finest Test opener, made a sensational debut in 1971 and went on to redefine batting excellence in the longer format. By the time he retired, he held the record for the most Test centuries and runs.

Gavaskar’s captaincy journey began in impressive fashion. In his first match as captain, against New Zealand at Eden Park, Auckland, in January 1976, he scored a commanding 116 in the first innings and followed it up with an unbeaten 35 in the second. His all-round performance helped India secure a convincing eight-wicket victory.

3. Dilip Vengsarkar - 102 vs West Indies, 1987, Delhi

Nicknamed the "Colonel" of Indian cricket, Dilip Vengsarkar took charge as India's captain for the first time in a match against the formidable West Indies in Delhi. The debut, however, began on a disastrous note as the Indian team was skittled out for just 75 runs, immediately putting them on the back foot.

But in the second innings, Vengsarkar rose to the occasion. Leading from the front, he played a captain's knock of the highest order, scoring a gritty 102 off 257 deliveries. Though his valiant effort came in a losing cause, the innings stood out for its resilience and determination. It remains etched in cricketing history as one of the finest displays of leadership under pressure.

4. Virat Kohli - 115 vs Australia, 2014, Adelaide

Virat Kohli made a stunning debut as India’s Test captain with a commanding knock of 115 runs in his first match in charge, held in Adelaide. Demonstrating nerves of steel and the spirit of a true warrior, Kohli went on to score a century in both innings—a rare feat that showcased his resilience and hunger for success.

Remarkably, with this performance, Kohli became only the second player in cricket history—after Greg Chappell—to score twin centuries in his maiden Test as captain. Although India narrowly lost the match, Kohli’s heroics stood out as one of the finest individual performances by a debutant Test captain, etching his name into the annals of cricketing history.

5. Shubman Gill vs England, Headingley, 2025

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from Test cricket in May 2025, marking the end of an era in Indian cricket. In a significant move, Shubman Gill was handed the reins of the Indian Test team. His first assignment as captain was a challenging five-match Test series against England.

There were questions raised about Gill’s leadership credentials, but the young star silenced his critics in emphatic fashion. On his Test captaincy debut, Gill scored a magnificent century, leading from the front. He became only the fifth Indian to register a hundred on Test captaincy debut, joining an elite group that includes Vijay Merchant, Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, and Virat Kohli.

Gill's sublime knock came at Headingley, Leeds, on June 20, 2025, setting the tone for what could be a promising new chapter in Indian cricket.

Cover Credits - BCCI Official