Former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary praised ODI captain Shubman Gill for the way he handled India’s chase in the first ODI against Afghanistan after Rohit Sharma was dismissed. Tiwary also believes that dismissing Shubman Gill is very tough for the bowlers, as he loses his wicket after making any mistake.
India were chasing 195 in a rain-shortened match of 25 overs per side. The hosts started aggressively, but Rohit’s innings ended in an unfortunate run-out. From there, Gill took charge of the chase and guided the team calmly. He received good support from Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, whose quick contributions helped India secure victory and take a 1-0 lead in the series.
“The way Gill built his innings is praiseworthy and after Rohit got out, it was his responsibility to take the team forward, remain not out and win the game from there," Tiwary said while speaking on Cricbuzz.
“Also, the way the cameos came from Iyer, Kishan and KL Rahul, they didn’t let the pressure get to Gill at all. Earlier, what used to happen is that, when he got close to the target, he used to get out while playing glory shots," Tiwary said.
“But now, he is playing unbeaten knocks, remaining not out, so from this, it becomes clear that bowlers can’t get his wicket easily. They will only get a wicket if he makes a mistake," Tiwary added.
Tiwary also pointed out that Gill’s growing sense of responsibility as captain of the Gujarat Titans is beginning to show in his leadership of the Indian ODI side. He felt the young skipper looked more assured and in control, which is a positive sign after a challenging start to his captaincy stint.
“The roadmap, the blueprint, that the coaches and the team management have laid out, it has started and it was a good start, a good win. Ever since he has been GT’s captain, the responsibility has reflected in the IPL and we got to see the same today," Tiwary said.