Former England batter Mark Butcher believes Shubman Gill’s fluent start in the second ODI against England created the illusion that batting at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff was easier than it actually was. According to Butcher, the Indian captain’s brilliant strokeplay masked the true nature of a challenging surface, which troubled both batting line-ups throughout the contest.
Fresh from his match-winning 80 off 75 balls in the series opener, Gill once again looked in sublime touch. The India skipper raced to 31 off just 29 deliveries, striking six boundaries with his trademark timing and elegance. However, his promising innings ended when he drove a delivery from Gus Atkinson straight to the cover fielder.
Following Gill’s dismissal, India’s batting struggled to build momentum as wickets fell at regular intervals. The visitors were eventually bowled out for 233 in 44 overs, a total that initially appeared below par.
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Speaking on Sky Sports, Mark Butcher insisted the conditions were far more difficult than Gill had made them seem. “Considering what we saw later, and even Joe Root’s slow start, it was obvious that batting wasn’t easy. The pace and bounce were difficult to judge. Shubman Gill was in such outstanding form that he made the pitch look like a batting paradise. Once he got out, everyone realised how challenging it actually was. Looking back, 234 was a competitive total,” Butcher explained.
England’s chase was far from straightforward. India struck early through Jasprit Bumrah, Prasidh Krishna and Gurnoor Brar to leave the hosts under pressure. However, Joe Root anchored the innings with a composed unbeaten 99, guiding England to a four-wicket victory and levelling the three-match series 1-1.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri also praised India’s effort while defending a modest target. He felt the visitors remained firmly in the contest but needed one more breakthrough during the powerplay to put England under greater pressure.
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“Gill’s bowling changes were excellent, and Bumrah was outstanding once again. If India had picked up one more wicket in the powerplay, the game could have been very different. The match remained evenly poised for a long time, but Joe Root deserves full credit for finishing the chase with some outstanding partnerships,” Ravi Shastri said.
With the series now tied at 1-1, both teams will head to the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground for a winner-takes-all third ODI on July 19.
