Shubman Gill, Joe Root and the 4 other big names Wiaan Mulder outdid in his debut innings as Test captain

CS Chiwanza 07 Jul 2025

England's Joe Root almost hit a double-century in his first innings as Test captain.

Centuries are hard to come by in Test cricket.

They are even more difficult to attain with the pressures of captaincy on one’s shoulders.

Below, we have listed batters who have announced themselves as captains with monumental scores in their debut innings as leaders.

1. Wiaan Mulder (South Africa), 367 not out vs Zimbabwe, 2025

Wiaan Mulder did not expect to captain South Africa when they left for the tour to Zimbabwe. Keshav Maharaj was keeping the seat warm for Temba Bavuma, who was unavailable for the series due to injury.

However, when Maharaj suffered an injury of his own, the 27-year-old accepted the honour with great pride.

Mulder celebrated his elevation to national captaincy with an innings of a lifetime. South Africa was on 24/2 when he arrived at the crease. Mulder did not waste time before he stamped his authority on the contest.

His most notable partnerships were with David Bedingham and Lhuan-dre Pretorius. He stitched a 184-run third-wicket partnership with Bedingham and added 217 runs for the fourth wicket with Pretorius.

Mulder spent 410 minutes at the crease for his 367 runs in 334 balls.

2. Graham Dowling (New Zealand) – 239 vs India, 1968

Dowling was a 20-Test veteran when he was named New Zealand’s captain. Up until then, he had compiled a decent but unremarkable career at the top of the order. He had amassed two hundreds and six half-centuries in 39 innings when he ascended to captaincy.

The Christchurch native marked his elevation with a brilliant 239 off 519 balls. Dowling’s 556-minute stay in the middle didn’t just usher him into the record books; it also spurred New Zealand to 500 for the second time in Test matches and their maiden Test victory over India.

3. Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies) – 203 not out vs South Africa, 2005

Between 1995 and 2005, West Indies Cricket was lurching from one crisis to the next. When they hosted South Africa in Georgetown, Chanderpaul’s home town, the West Indies were a depleted side after seven of their stars, led by Brian Lara, were locked in a dispute with their board.

The West Indies needed someone to steady the ship, both in the dressing room and in the middle, when their newly installed captain, Chanderpaul, walked out to bat.

They were on 106/3. Chanderpaul took matters into his hands as he mounted a 284-run fourth-wicket partnership with Wavell Hinds, who also recorded a double century in the innings.

Chanderpaul faced 370 balls in 541 minutes for his unbeaten 203 as he led the West Indies to 543/5d.

Also read – Is Wiaan Mulder’s 269 the most runs in a single day of Test cricket?

4. Clem Hill (Australia) – 191 vs South Africa, 1910

South Africa would have fancied themselves to be in business when they dismissed Victor Trumper for a mere 27 runs.

However, all they did was open themselves up to one of the most emphatic displays of batting by Clem Hill, who had just been named Australia’s captain after 14 years of service to Australia’s Test team.

Hill mounted a 224-run second-wicket partnership with Warren Bardsley as Australia went on a rampage. Bardeley’s 132 from 150 looked pedestrian compared to Hill, who was scoring at almost a run-a-ball.

He bludgeoned 191 from 200 deliveries. Their outstanding partnership set Australia up for an emphatic victory by an innings and 114 runs.

5. Joe Root (England) – 191 vs South Africa, 2017

The first thing Joe Root did as England captain was win the toss and elect to bat first. Unfortunately, his openers, Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings, couldn’t back him up with runs.

They were both back in the pavilion by the close of the sixth over. So, the second thing Root did as captain was construct a monumental innings.

England was on 17/2 when Root arrived at the crease. They were on 367/6 when he departed, and by then, England was in a position of strength.

The newly minted England captain spent 366 minutes at the crease for his 227-ball 190 that featured 26 fours and a six. It was the first of 14 centuries and 26 half-centuries Root scored during his tenure as England’s captain between 2017 and 2022.

6. Alastair Cook (England) – 173 vs Bangladesh, 2010

For a long time, Alastair Cook was seen as England’s Test cricket heir apparent. So, when Andrew Strauss left his post, it was no surprise that Cook was handed the captaincy.

The opener lived up to expectations by scoring a sensational 173 from 283 balls in his maiden outing as the skipper.

Bangladesh expected the surface to assist their spinners, so they asked England to bat first after winning the toss. The pitch wasn’t amenable to turn; it had been a bad call by Shakib Al Hasan. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Cook feasted on Bangladesh’s bowlers.

Cook was in the middle for 102.4 overs, during which time he struck 16 fours and two sixes. He shared a wonderful 170-run third-wicket stand with Kevin Pietersen, who narrowly missed out on a century. Cook’s brilliant tally helped set England up for a convincing win.

7. Vijay Hazare (India) – 164 not out vs India, 1951

Hazare lost the first toss he attended as India’s captain, but that didn’t matter much because he marshalled his bowling attack well as they bundled out England for 203.

Only Jack Robertson offered resistance with a half-century, while the rest of the batting lineup struggled to get going.

India’s response ran into trouble early, when Pankaj Roy and Polly Umrigar were dismissed for 12 and 21 runs apiece. However, Hazare stepped up to the crease and played an innings of a lifetime.

He stitched a 211 third-wicket partnership that put India in control. Hazare’s namesake, Vijay Merchant, scored an outstanding 154.

But the man of the moment was Hazare with his unbeaten 164. That was his best batting performance ever. Hazare never surpassed that haul of runs in his career.

8. Shubman Gill (India) – 147 vs England, 2025

Shubman Gill ushered India’s new era of Test cricket in style. Many people wondered what the new age of Indian cricket, after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s retirements, would be like. Gill answered emphatically.

India was on 92/2 when their captain walked out to bat. The 25-year-old combined with Yashasvi Jaiswal for 129 runs for the third wicket. Gill followed that up with a 209-run fourth-wicket stand with Rishabh Pant.

The Indian captain’s innings ended with the breaking of that partnership.

Gill’s stay spanned those two partnerships. He scored 147 runs from 227 balls in 348 minutes.

9. Monty Noble (Australia) – 133 vs England, 1903

When he won the toss and elected to bat first, Noble assumed that he would spend a decent period on the sidelines before being required to bat. That was not to be for Australia’s new captain. Only 16 minutes had passed when he walked to the crease with his side on 9/2.

Noble watched seven more partners come and go as he valiantly fought his way to an outstanding 133 runs in 287 minutes. No other Australian batter passed 50 in the innings.

Warwick Armstrong came close with 48 runs and Bert Hopkins contributed 39, while everyone else in the Australian batting lineup failed to get to 25 runs.