Shubman Gill produced an outstanding performance, not only with the bat but also as captain, in the first ODI between India and England on Tuesday, July 14, at Edgbaston in Birmingham.
Chasing a 259-run goal, India lost key players Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli within the first nine overs. While Rohit scored 11, Kohli only made five. Shubman, on the other hand, held his own and put up a much-needed 101-run stand with Shreyas Iyer for the third wicket, which came off 103 balls.
Shubman finished his half-century in 51 deliveries and went on to score 80 runs before retiring injured with what appeared to be a problem with the back of his right leg. Shubman’s ODI average rose above 60 throughout his knock.
Irfan Pathan, a former India all-rounder, praised Shubman Gill for his remarkable consistency in ODIs. Irfan Pathan commented on his official ‘X’ (previously Twitter) profile, “A batting average of 60 with a strike rate of over 100 after 64 matches is an achievement no one has ever managed.”
Captain Shubman Gill impressed Irfan Pathan.
Shubman Gill was not only a good batsman, but he also performed admirably as team captain. Shubman Gill’s bowling alterations resulted in India’s dismissal of England for 258 in 47.5 overs on a quality batting surface. Excellent captaincy. So far, he has perfectly sensed the pulse of the game, making all of the appropriate bowling adjustments at the correct times,” Pathan wrote.
