Ishan Kishan admitted, with a smile, that Shubman Gill jokingly cost him a possible double century in India’s ODI against Afghanistan. Kishan was in superb touch, smashing 125 off just 79 balls with 14 fours and seven sixes, but his innings ended soon after he tried to follow Gill’s advice and go for six sixes in an over.
A BCCI video captured the light-hearted exchange between the two India batters after the match. Kishan revealed that he had already struck back-to-back sixes off the first two balls of the 37th over, bowled by Nangeyalia Kharoti, when Gill urged him to keep swinging. Kishan tried to clear the ropes again on the third delivery, only to get caught.
With a laugh, he told Gill, “Mujhe six sixes marwane main mere 70 runs kam kar diye,” to which Shubman Gill replied, “Tujhe marna hi tha waise bhi.” The innings was Kishan’s second ODI hundred, following his memorable double century against Bangladesh in 2022. What made this knock even more special was the speed at which he reached the milestone.
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He got there in just 126 deliveries, the fastest by any batter in ODI history. The 27-year-old wicketkeeper-batter is also playing his first ODI series in nearly three years, having last appeared in the format against Australia during the 2023 World Cup.
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Kishan said the plan at the crease was simple: build a strong partnership, stay calm and attack only when the situation allowed. He explained that with Gill batting at the other end, the idea was to keep the scoreboard moving without taking unnecessary risks, especially on a good batting surface where boundaries were always available.
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Gill, who was just as destructive with the bat, scored 154 off 110 balls as India piled up 402 all out in 49.5 overs. Kishan later joked that Gill kept telling him to stay aggressive, even as the pair continued to dominate the Afghanistan bowling attack.
India will now turn their attention to the third and final ODI in Chennai on Saturday, where both batters will again be key as the hosts look to finish the series in style.
