Shubman Gill maintained a positive mindset when India faced early pressure at 19/2 in the sixth over while chasing 249 in 50 overs against England.
Gill, named Player of the Match, scored 87 runs and formed vital partnerships with Shreyas Iyer (59) and Axar Patel (52). This led India to a four-wicket victory over England in the first ODI at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on Thursday.
India played without Virat Kohli, who was sidelined due to a sore right knee. The early dismissals of Yashasvi Jaiswal (15) and Rohit Sharma (2) put India in a challenging position, but Gill’s sensible batting and Iyer’s counter-attacking approach steadied the innings.
“Trying to be positive. There was a little in it for fast bowlers. (The) idea was not to go too much on the back foot and play good cricketing shots. When a player (Iyer) comes like that, the opposition also goes on the back foot. Good decision on his (Iyer’s) part also helped me,” said Gill in the post-match presentation.
The batting conditions became more challenging as the wicket turned sticky in the second innings.
“I thought it was a bit double-paced. Spinners varied their pace well, when they bowled slow, it was turning. Had it in mind to look to the square of the wicket and not try to hit down the ground,” said Gill.
Gill’s recent promotion to vice-captain hasn’t significantly impacted his batting approach, but it has enhanced his on-field responsibilities.
“In batting not much has changed, but on the field, I want to know what the thinking is and what Rohit bhai thinks and give my inputs. He tells me if you want to tell me anything in the match, do not hesitate,” said Gill.
The upcoming Champions Trophy in Dubai presents an opportunity for Gill to build on his performance in the remaining two ODIs against England.
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