Gill’s time to thrill!

After a couple of quiet outings in his last two games, India opener Shubman will be determined to go big in all-important finale against NZ tomorrow

As Travis Head put Varun Chakravarthy up in the air, Shubman Gill came charging in, running a little to his left, from long-off. The vice-captain had a reasonable distance to cover, which meant the ball had a hang-time of a couple of seconds. Enough time for a fielder to start thinking. ‘Oh, what if I drop the catch? Wasn’t he already dropped on 0, and has since blasted his way to 39?’… You get the drift.

No sign of nerves

With Gill, there were no such fears. His feet eating up ground rapidly but surely, his eyes unwaveringly on the ball, the head still and steady, the hands in perfect position, no sign of nerves. Sometimes, you instinctively know that the catch will be completed, comfortably. This was one of those instances.

Gill hasn’t had the best of times with the bat in India’s last two games in the Champions Trophy, but with the final looming, he will do his utmost to invoke the Gill of the first two matches, the Gill who piloted a successful chase with an unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh and backed it up with a fluent 46 against Pakistan. Since then, his bat has gone somewhat cold — trapped in front by Matt Henry for two with a ball that jagged back in, sneaked past his inside edge and thudded into his front pad, then bowled off the inside-edge by Ben Dwarshuis for eight as he felt for the ball angling away from him only with his hands and dragged it on.

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Swing, seam on offer

That can happen to openers; that’s an occupational hazard which has been exacerbated here in Dubai because at various times, even in natural light, the faster bowlers have got a bit of swing and a lot of seam even on primarily grassless surfaces. Gill will be doubly determined, going into Sunday’s final against New Zealand at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, to leave one final indelible imprint on a tournament that India have bossed until now.

Gill has slotted in beautifully as Rohit Sharma’s opening partner; the other day, he brought up his eighth ODI hundred and after 54 games, he averages 59.65 at a strike-rate of 100.25. At the top of the batting tree, he is the ice to Rohit’s fire, the calm to his captain’s fierce storm. The two right-handers present different challenges for the bowlers. Rohit loves nothing more than hitting over the top, Gill is more at home piercing the infield and scoring through fours. Together, they have been associated in six century and 12 fifty-plus stands in 31 innings, hence an enviable average of 67.30; that average has taken a dip in the last 10 days after partnerships of 31 (Pakistan), 15 (New Zealand) and 30 (Australia).

Opening pair must fire

With India targeting a second ICC title in a little over eight months — following their triumph in the T20 World Cup in June — they will require Gill to bat like the No. 1 ODI batter in the world that he is. And for the Rohit-Gill jugalbandi to once more produce the melody that has been the foundation for many a stirring riposte. After two modest outings, Gill is suitably hungry. Whether that will translate to a sumptuous feasting of the Kiwi bowlers is the big question.

59.65
Shubman Gill’s ODI average after 54 games

Eight
No. of centuries struck by Shubman Gill in 54 ODIs

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