Lucknow: Skipper Shubman Gill battled the oppressive heat and cramps to produce a magnificent 154 while Ishan Kishan ended a three-year wait for an ODI hundred as India piled up a formidable 402 all out against Afghanistan in the second match here Wednesday.
Gill and Kishan (125) put the visiting bowlers to the sword with a blistering 224-run stand for the third wicket off 141 deliveries, laying the foundation for India’s imposing total after being asked to bat.
Continuing with their experimentation ahead of next year’s World Cup, India brought in Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) to open alongside Rohit Sharma (48), with Gill dropping down to No. 3.
However, the young left-hander failed to make the most of the opportunity and departed in the second over.
Rohit, meanwhile, looked in fine touch and produced glimpses of his vintage best. The former captain was timing the ball sweetly and appeared set for a big score before being undone by a Rashid Khan googly that produced an inside-edge that clattered into his stumps.
Gill then took charge of the innings and rarely put a foot wrong. The elegant right-hander mixed precision with purity of strokeplay, making batting appear effortless despite the challenging conditions.
He batted tactfully and was severe when the Afghan bowlers tried to innovate. He drove fluently cruising to his ninth ODI century. The milestone was especially sweet as it was also his first as ODI captain.
Kishan, meanwhile, provided the perfect support act before dramatically shifting gears after reaching his fifty. The wicketkeeper-batter, whose confidence has steadily grown in recent months, registered only his second ODI century and his first since the memorable double hundred against Bangladesh in December 2022.
The left-hander’s knock was packed with power and innovation. His pulls routinely sent the ball crashing into the advertising boards, while a pair of audacious one-handed sixes highlighted his growing confidence.
Kishan reached his second fifty in a mere 19 balls and eventually fell after a sparkling 79-ball innings.
The intense heat, however, began taking its toll on Gill as he approached his hundred. The Indian captain required treatment on his back after the 34th over and appeared visibly drained.
Even after reaching his century, Gill battled cramps and exhaustion but continued to anchor the innings with remarkable resolve.
Having carried India deep into the final overs, his outstanding knock ended in rather anti-climactic fashion when an attempted reverse sweep found deep cover.
Gill’s dismissal triggered a batting collapse.
Left-arm spinner Nangeyalia Kharote (4/76) was the destroyer-in-chief, cleaning up India’s middle order, while Rashid Khan picked three wickets.
KL Rahul departed for a first-ball duck, while Shreyas Iyer (26), who had started positively, failed to convert his cameo and was dismissed 11 deliveries later as Afghanistan clawed back some control in the closing stages.
India lost seven wickets in the final 10 overs.
Orissa POST – Odisha’s No.1 English Daily