HYDERABAD: Opener Shubman Gill, who has been under-pressure since the scintillating double century by Ishan Kishan against Bangladesh in December, came up with a brilliant double century – his second century on the trot – to repay the faith reposed in him by the team management.
Riding on Gill’s 149-ball 208 (19x4, 9x6), India coasted to a huge 349 for eight in the first ODI against New Zealand at the RGIC Stadium on Wednesday.
Skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid were criticised for benching Kishan and opting for Gill to open the innings in the series against Sri Lanka. The 23-year-old Punjab da puttar did not let all the negative vibes affect him as he let his willow do the talking with a 70 and 116 in the three-match series and on Wednesday, he went a step further by smashing a double century on way to his career best ODI knock.
In the process, he also became the quickest Indian batter to complete 1000 ODI runs. Gill, who had 894 runs from 18 innings prior to his game, claimed the record from Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan – both of them took 24 innings to reach the landmark – by achieving the feat in 19 innings.
He became the fifth Indian to hit a double century after Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit (3) and Kishan. He also struck the highest score on this ground erasing Sachin’s 175 against Australia in 2009.
Gill started off steadily as he took his time to settle down even as Rohit did the bulk of the scoring in their 60-run first wicket partnership but as the sun set, Gill exploded to set the stadium on fire.
He struck six sixes in the 48th and 49th overs to take India to an impregnable position. Incidentally, Gill got his half-century with a six, reached 99 with his second six and moved from 147 to 153 with the third one. Then he moved from 182 to 200 with sixes of three consecutive balls.
Earlier, New Zealand began with two wide balls as Henry Shipley took time to get his line right. And after five dot balls, Shipley gave Rohit a loose full toss which the Indian skipper gleefully drove through the covers for the first boundary of the match. Gill got into the act in the next over as he struck Lockie Ferguson’s third delivery for a boundary through the cover region.
The first six of the match came in the third over itself when Rohit lofted Shipley over the extra cover fence. The next one came in the fifth over again off Shipley when Rohit played his patient short arm pull over deep backward square leg.
Rohit (34; 38 balls, 4x,4, 2x6) didn’t last long as his attempt to hit a Blair Tickner delivery over his head, resulted in a mishit which was gobbled up by Daryll Mitchell at mid-on.
Left-arm spinner Mitchell Santner, who was brought into the innings as early as the ninth over, sent back Kohli (8) in the 16th over to leave India at 88 for two. Kohli was left stunned by a ball that turned. He went back to defend and covered the line but not the turn. It got past his outside edge to hit the top of off stump.
Though Kohli (8) and Kishan (5) fell early, Gill partnered Suryakumar Yadav to steady the innings. The right-handed bat made the most of the reprieve he got from Tom Latham off Michael Bracewell when he was on 45. He moved from 46 to 52 with his first six and there was no turning back thereafter.
Gill kept pace with SKY as the duo added 65 for the fourth wicket before the latter fell to a tame dismissal when on 31. Gill then struck his second six and stole a single to reach the coveted three-figure mark off 87 balls with 14 fours and two sixes.
After that, it was Gill all the way as he toyed with the Kiwis.
