Page 49 - The Indian EYE 100926

STUMP VISION OCTOBER 09, 2026 | The Indian Eye 49

Shubman Gill, the Captain, shows

his class and talent again and again

India’s young captain produces a breathtaking double century to turn

a daunting 406-run chase into a historic victory

OUR BUREAU gression. Gill has now scored 3,712
runs in 69 ODIs at an average of
Guwahati
65.12 and a strike rate above 103, with
hubman Gill’s unbeaten 223 11 centuries and 20 fifties. This year
against the West Indies was not alone, he has accumulated 894 runs in
Smerely a record-breaking in- 11 ODIs at an average of 127.71.
nings. It was a powerful demonstra- His latest achievement also
tion of the class, talent and growing placed him in several exclusive clubs.
maturity of India’s young captain. Gill became only the second bat-
Chasing a formidable 406 in the ter after Glenn Maxwell to score an
second ODI at Guwahati, India need- ODI double century while chasing. He
ed something special. Gill delivered it then surpassed Maxwell’s 201 not out
in spectacular fashion, smashing the to register the highest individual score
fastest double century in ODI histo- in an ODI chase. He also became the
ry and remaining unbeaten as India first cricketer to score a double centu-
completed their highest-ever ODI ry while captaining in both Tests and
chase with eight wickets in hand. ODIs, having made 269 against En-
What made the innings remark- gland at Edgbaston last year.
able was not just the numbers, ex- And in another significant mile-
traordinary though they were. Gill stone, he overtook Virender Sehwag’s
had already spent 50 overs on the 219 against the West Indies in 2011 to
field, captaining the side and watching record the highest ODI score by an
the West Indies pile up 405/7. He then Indian captain.
walked out to open the innings and Yet perhaps the most telling com-
proceeded to bat for almost 40 overs. pliment came from Harbhajan. He
Rohit Sharma, who shared a credited Gill’s hard work and his fa-
massive 255-run opening partnership ther’s contribution to his journey, say-
with Gill, summed up the quality of ing the results he is now delivering for
the performance. He pointed to Gill’s India are “outstanding”.
determination and concentration af- India have long had batsmen
ter a physically demanding day in the capable of producing extraordinary
field and said the young captain was ODI innings. Rohit and Virat Kohli
in control “from ball number one till have set extraordinary standards.
the end”. Gill’s performance suggests that he
That ability to combine aggres- is beginning to create his own space
sion with control was the defining fea- among them.
ture of Gill’s innings. Indian skipper Shubman Gill plays a shot during the 2nd ODI against West Indies at Barsapara The manner of the innings mat-
He reached his century in only 62 ters as much as the records. There was
balls, the fastest ODI hundred by an Cricket Stadium, in Guwahati on Wednesday (ANI Photo) no panic in a 406-run chase, no visible
Indian captain, and raced to 150 in 89 burden from captaincy and no sign of
balls, the fastest such mark by an Indi- huge target and the pressure was ob- That adaptability is perhaps the fatigue after a full day in the field.
an in an ODI. Then came the double vious. Yet Gill did not appear over- most encouraging aspect of his batting. There was simply class, timing,
century in just 117 balls, eclipsing Ishan whelmed by either the score or the Gill is no longer simply the tal- aggression and extraordinary concen-
Kishan’s previous record of 126 balls. responsibility of leading the chase. In- ented young opener who emerged tration.
Gill eventually finished on 223 stead, he built the innings intelligent- through India’s Under-19 system. He For Gill, the double century may
not out from 133 balls, with 26 fours ly, initially benefiting from Rohit’s ag- is now captain, an established inter- eventually become another entry in a
and eight sixes, striking at more than gression before taking control himself. national batter and increasingly one remarkable statistical record. For In-
167. It was the third-highest individu- Gill explained the approach after- of the central figures in Indian crick- dian cricket, however, it could repre-
al score in ODI cricket, behind Rohit wards. The plan was to reach around et. Former India spinner Harbhajan sent something more significant: the
Sharma’s 264 and Martin Guptill’s 70-80 without losing a wicket during the Singh, who has watched Gill since his arrival of a captain who is increasingly
237 not out. Powerplay. Once Rohit began attack- Under-19 days, said the batter has capable of carrying both the responsi-
But statistics alone do not explain ing, Gill adapted, and when he found continued to improve as experience bility and the expectations that come
why the innings stood out. his rhythm, he targeted the shorter has grown. with leading one of the world’s most
The West Indies had set India a boundary and took on the bowlers. The numbers support that pro- demanding cricket teams.

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