TimesofIndia.com in Cardiff: Shubman Gill revealed that a bout of cramps forced him to retire during the first ODI between India and England in Birmingham on Tuesday. Before gingerly walking off the field, India captain Gill had scored an unbeaten 80 and stitched a crucial stand with his deputy Shreyas Iyer. His exit from the middle, followed by the quick wickets of Iyer and KL Rahul, made things jittery for the visitors, but Washington Sundar and Axar Patel ensured their captain’s hard work did not go in vain as India sealed a six-wicket win at Edgbaston. Speaking to BBC Test Match Special, Gill said he expected to be fit for the second ODI at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Thursday. His demeanour while leaving Birmingham, and again on the eve of the second ODI in Wales, where the weather has been warm over the past week, suggested he was fit and raring to go in this pivotal series.During the opening ODI of the three-match series, as India chased 259, Gill and Iyer stitched together a crucial 101-run partnership off 103 balls to all but take the game away from the hosts. Before that, however, as India lost Rohit Sharma (11) and Virat Kohli (5) cheaply, England appeared to have the upper hand. Two of India’s batting veterans were back in the pavilion and the scoreboard read 48 for 2 in 8.3 overs.
Shubman Gill scored a feisty 80 in the first ODI against England.
As Shreyas Iyer, who had a disappointing start to his stint as T20I captain in Ireland and England, joined Gill in the middle, the challenge was to absorb the pressure rather than worry about the required run rate, which was still below a run a ball.During his 75-ball 80, which included 11 fours and a six, Gill spent 120 minutes at the crease. Instead of motoring along during the powerplay, the 26-year-old opted to absorb the pressure from seamers Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue. On a surface that was offering assistance to the seamers, both Gill and Rohit Sharma, the other opener, chose to bide their time. The first innings had already shown that the pitch was aiding the new-ball bowlers with pace, variable bounce and lateral movement.While Rohit remained the more cautious of the two, Gill paced his innings, and the chase, to perfection. After opening his innings with back-to-back boundaries, Gill remained largely quiet for the next 13 deliveries, scoring just four runs during that period. With England continuing with pace, including Sam Curran, Gill was content to deal in singles and dots.
Indian skipper Shubman Gill celebrates his half-century during 1st ODI against England, at Edgbaston stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)
When the strategy changed, Gill took on Adil Rashid, Jacob Bethell and Will Jacks. Liam Dawson, too, was brought into the attack. In the 21st over, there was a sweep towards backward square leg. In the next over, Gill played a pristine inside-out loft over extra cover for another boundary.More fittingly, and showcasing the range of his repertoire, seconds after receiving treatment from the physio for cramps, he played a sweep off Jacks over square leg for another boundary. Even as the issue persisted, Gill’s tempo in the chase did not drop. Instead, he continued to pick up singles and doubles by pushing the ball to long-on and long-off.What sets Gill apart as a chase master is not just his ability to attack when required and rotate strike when necessary. It is his ability to score without slogging, without constantly taking the aerial route, and by using the off-side field intelligently.
Indian skipper Shubman Gill plays a shot during 1st ODI against England, at Edgbaston stadium in Birmingham on Tuesday. (ANI Photo)
Of Gill’s 11 boundaries, five came on the off side and six on the leg side. His only six, off Josh Tongue, sailed over the deep backward square leg boundary. The cut shot was his most productive stroke, yielding 16 runs, including two boundaries.With Gill’s availability for the second ODI yet to be categorically confirmed, it is hard to find anyone who has mastered the art of chasing as seamlessly from Virat Kohli as Gill has.Gill’s knock at Edgbaston was a reminder that the best ODI chases are rarely built on relentless aggression. Instead, they demand clarity of thought, adaptability and the confidence to trust the process. On a pitch where survival was more important than accelerated scoring, Gill judged the conditions better than anyone. He attacked only when the game allowed him to and ensured India never lost sight of the target.The cramps may have denied him a deserved finish, but the job had already been done. It was another innings that reinforced why, at just 26, Gill is fast emerging as the standard-bearer for India’s next generation of ODI batting.
