These visiting captains clocked 250-plus Test scores in England
What's the story
Indian captain Shubman Gill smashed a stunning double-century, scoring 269 against England on Day 2 of the second Test at Edgbaston. The innings helped India post a mammoth first-innings total of 587 runs. Gill's innings not only marked his career-best but also broke several long-standing Indian records in overseas Tests. Here we look at the visiting captains to clock 250-plus Test scores on England soil.
#4
259 - Graeme Smith at Lord's, 2003
Two of the four places on this list belong to former South African skipper Graeme Smith, who hammered 250-plus scores in successive Tests in the 2003 tour of England. The Lord's Test witnessed him play a 259-run knock in the second innings as SA declared at 682/6 and later recorded an innings win. He faced 370 balls and smashed 34 fours during his stay.
#3
269 - Shubman Gill in Birmingham, 2025
Gill, in the aforementioned Birmingham game, brilliantly countered England's bowling attack, which had reduced India to 211/5 on Day 1. He formed a crucial partnership of 203 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (89), taking India past 400 on Day 2 morning. The 25-year-old, playing just his second Test as captain, was eventually dismissed for 269 runs from 387 balls. He hit 30 fours and three sixes as India finished at 587/10 while batting first.
#2
277 - Graeme Smith in Birmingham, 2003
As mentioned, Smith features twice on this list as he made a sensational 277 in the Birmingham Test of the aforementioned 2003 series. The opener played this sensational knock in the first innings as he hammered 35 fours during his 373-ball stay. His efforts meant SA declared at 594/5 in the drawn game. Notably, Smith followed up this double-hundred with a fiery 70-ball 85 in the third innings.
#1
311 - Bob Simpson in Manchester, 1964
Australia's Bob Simpson is one of the two skippers with triple-centuries in overseas Tests, the other being his compatriot Mark Taylor. Meanwhile, Simpson accomplished this milestone with a 311-run knock in the 1964 Manchester Test against England. He opened the batting and tackled as many as 743 balls in the first innings (23 fours, 1 six). Though his efforts powered Australia to 656/8d, the game ended in a draw.