'I was a baby, he is a leader': Sunil Gavaskar rates Shubman Gill's 754 vs England above his 1971 masterclass vs West Indies

Cricket great Sunil Gavaskar has given young Indian skipper Shubman Gill the highest praise possible, saying that Gill's incredible 754 runs in the current Test series against England are a greater accomplishment than his own record of 774 runs in a Test series, which he established back in 1971.

With 754 runs in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, Gill came very close to surpassing Gavaskar's record for the most runs in a Test series in Indian history. But according to Gavaskar, Gill's performance is elevated above his own by its surroundings.

"The difference is that 754 runs have come with him having the additional responsibility of being the captain," Gavaskar stated, speaking to Sony Sports after Day 3's play at The Oval. "Mine, I was the baby of the team, it wouldn't have mattered. If I failed, nobody would have given a hoot. As the captain, to score 754 runs... More than 750 runs, where he is making the difference to his side's fortunes. Don't go by those 20 runs, just see what those 754 runs have done for Indian cricket."

A very impressive accomplishment for a debutant, Gavaskar's record of 774 runs was set in their backyard in 1971 against the tough West Indies.  Gill, however, is just the second captain in history, after Don Bradman, to score 750+ runs in their first Test series as captain. His 754 runs in England, which led the team in his first series as captain, included four hundreds.

After the day's play, Gavaskar gave Gill a personalised shirt and an autographed cap as a touching way to thank him for his exceptional performances during the series.  India's efforts to tie the series have benefited greatly from Gill's outstanding performance, which featured a career-best 269 and significant hundreds.  Gill's status as one of the top players in Indian cricket is cemented by Gavaskar's support, even though he may not have exceeded the "Little Master's" total.

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