After winning the first ODI in Barbados, Team India were favorites to win the second ODI and seal the series. But the hosts have bounced back incredibly well to level the series at 1-1. The second ODI game saw another batting failure from the Indians.
India rested skipper Rohit Sharma and former captain Virat Kohli, citing workload management. But that move totally backfired on the visitors. Shai Hope won the toss and decided to bowl first on a pitch that was hard for batting.
But it was an excellent start from the Indian opening pair of Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan. Both openers looked set and collected boundaries at regular intervals. India had an opening stand of 90 runs in 16.5 overs. Gill was the first man to get out. He was dismissed by Gudakesh Motie. Gill tried to hit the ball over the boundary line but was caught by Alzarri Joseph.
The 23-year-old made 34 runs off 49 balls, with five boundaries. Though he couldn’t score big, before getting out, he registered his name in the record books. Gill has surpassed Babar Azam to score more runs after the first 26 ODI innings of his career.
Gill has scored 1352 runs in 26 innings at an average of 61.45 and a strike rate of 104.89. He has also scored four centuries and five half-centuries. Babar scored 1322 runs after his 26th ODI innings. Jonathan Trott (1303), Fakhar Zaman (1275), and Rassie van der Dussen (1267) are the next on the list.
Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has a great chance to break Hashim Amla’s all time record for the fastest 2000 ODI runs. Amla did it in 40 innings, while Gill needs 648 runs in 14 innings. He will be back in action in the third and final ODI game between India and West Indies on August 1.
