India, July 10 -- In his first few weeks as India's Test captain, Shubman Gill has wrought wonders.

Leading India to a win at Edgbaston for the first time since 1967? Done.

Scoring a century on his debut as captain? Done.

Scoring a double century in one innings and a century in the next, in the same match? Done.

With 430 runs in a single match, Gill is now second only to England's Graham Gooch (456) on the list of batters with most runs in a single match. He is also one of only five players to have scored 400 or more in a single match. (The others are Australia's Mark Taylor, with 426; Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara with 424; and the West Indies' Brian Lara with 400.)

Yet this column is not about the objective brilliance painted by the...