Shubman Gill’s Unbeaten Century Leads India to Victory Over Bangladesh in Champions Trophy Opener

Shubman Gill has firmly established himself as India’s rising star, proving his critics wrong with an unbeaten century in India’s Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh. His composed 101* off 129 balls guided India to a six-wicket victory in Dubai, reinforcing the immense faith the team management has placed in him.

Gill’s performance silenced those who had questioned his place in the squad following a disappointing tour of Australia, where he managed only 93 runs in five innings at an average of 18.60. Determined to regain his form, he returned to domestic cricket, where he scored a century for Punjab in the Ranji Trophy. His hard work continued at PCA Mohali before he rejoined the national team for the three-match home ODI series against England in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy.

The effort paid off as he played a key role in India’s 3-0 series sweep against England, scoring 259 runs at an impressive average of 86.33, including a century and two fifties. Carrying that form into the Champions Trophy, Gill once again delivered, anchoring India’s chase of Bangladesh’s 229-run target.

“It was definitely one of the most satisfying innings that I have played and my first century in ICC events. I was very satisfied and very happy with the way I performed,” Gill said in the post-match presentation.

India’s chase began with a solid 69-run opening partnership between Gill and captain Rohit Sharma. The duo mixed caution with calculated aggression, ensuring a steady start. Rohit took on the bowlers early, but Gill was more restrained, assessing the surface before playing his shots.

“When me and Rohit bhai went out there, we thought cutting the ball wasn’t easy because the balls outside the off-stump weren’t coming onto the bat nicely. So I thought of using my feet to even the fast bowlers and tried to go over the circle,” Gill explained.

After Rohit was dismissed for 41, Gill built a 43-run stand with Virat Kohli to counter Bangladesh’s spin attack. The two focused on rotating the strike and minimizing risks against the slower bowlers.

“When the spinners came on, me and Virat bhai were talking in the middle that it’s not easy to score singles off the front foot, so we’ll try to score singles off the back foot. And it’s not easy to hit down the ground, so we just keep rotating the strike,” he said.

However, when India lost Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, and Axar Patel in quick succession, Gill knew he had to take responsibility and see the chase through.

“At one point, there was a bit of pressure on us. The message was sent from outside that I have to try to bat till the end, and that’s what I tried to do,” he added.

With KL Rahul providing solid support, India comfortably reached the target. Gill completed his eighth ODI century and remained unbeaten, while Rahul hit the winning run to keep India’s momentum strong ahead of their high-profile clash against Pakistan on Sunday.

Gill’s numbers in successful chases are remarkable. In 18 ODIs where India has won while chasing since his debut, he has scored 834 runs at an outstanding average of 64.15, with one century and six fifties.

During his innings against Bangladesh, he also became the fastest batter to score eight ODI centuries, reaching the milestone with two stunning sixes. His first six—a short-arm jab—was sent soaring into the second tier at deep mid-wicket. The second, a perfectly timed whip shot, disappeared over the boundary in a flash.

“The first one gave me a lot of confidence, and the second one helped me come closer to my hundred, so both were very satisfying,” Gill said.

Gill’s consistency this year has been exceptional. In four ODIs so far in 2024, he has scored 360 runs at an average of 120.00 and a strike rate of almost 95, including two centuries and two fifties. In his ODI career, spanning 51 matches, he has amassed 2,688 runs at an average of 62.51, with eight centuries and 15 fifties.