Former India player Aakash Chopra has praised Shubman Gill for playing a mature knock in the first ODI against England in Nagpur on Thursday, February 6 as well. He also added that his stunning century in the recent Ranji Trophy clash against Karnataka helped his cause. However, India bowled England out for 248 after Jos Buttler won the toss and opted to bat as well. Gill scored 87 runs off 96 balls in the chase as the Indian team registered a four-wicket win with 68 balls to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Let’s talk about Shubman Gill’s maturity. I loved the way he batted. One thing that got highlighted was whoever played domestic cricket and did something along with that, performed well here. He scored a hundred in the second innings (in the Ranji Trophy). The hundred he scored in domestic cricket gave him the confidence.”
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“Although there is talk about the template, that we play aggressively, he said forget it. He said making the team win was more important. We were chasing 248, so why go for the glory? What would he have gained by playing big shots? You won’t achieve anything more than winning the match. That speaks volumes about his maturity,” Chopra further added.
In the same video, Aakash Chopra also praised Shubman Gill’s strokeplay against the short ball during the first ODI as well.
“I liked the way he batted. He was tested against the short ball and he passed that examination with flying colors. If someone can play pull shots towards midwicket, that means he has got the time. He was hitting deliveries outside the off-stump to midwicket and balls within the stumps to square leg,” he said.
“He was very, very good. He didn’t score a hundred. It’s absolutely okay. However, there is one thing for sure. He shouldn’t have come at No. 3. He is going to open. If someone has to open, you should have kept him as an opener. He could have opened with Rohit, and if you had to play Yashasvi, he could have played at No. 3,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
