Shubman Gill missed out on a well-deserved century in the first ODI against England in Nagpur on February 6. Shubman Gill put on a show with the bat and guided India to a comfortable four-wicket win over England in the series opener with his impressive 87-run knock. He formed crucial partnerships with Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel after early jitters to steady India's boat.
On the contrary, Yashasvi Jaiswal couldn't do much with the bat. His impressive performances throughout 2024 have led many to believe he is the future of Indian cricket. After establishing himself in both Test and T20I formats, Jaiswal recently debuted in ODIs in the first match of the three-game series against England. His debut, however, was short-lived, as he was dismissed for just 15 runs. While many see Jaiswal as a potential successor to cricketing giants like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar thinks otherwise.
Sanjay Manjrekar calls Shubman Gill 'lambi race ka ghoda'
Manjrekar didn't pick Jaiswal but Gill as someone who is in for the long haul. He took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to term Gill as 'lambi race ka ghoda'. Manjrekar heaped praise on the star batter after his standout performance in the first ODI against England, where his 86-run innings earned him the Player of the Match award. Manjrekar's comment suggests he believes Gill has a long and successful career ahead of him in Indian cricket.
“We had a term in the team ‘Lambi race ka Ghoda’ for certain players. Meaning someone who will be around for a long time in Indian cricket. That’s what Shubman Gill is!," Manjrekar's tweet read.
India take 1-0 lead with 4-wicket win over England in 1st ODI
Talking about the match, England while batting first enjoyed a strong opening partnership of 75 runs between Phil Salt and Ben Duckett. However, India's bowlers then took control, consistently taking wickets and ultimately dismissing England for 248 runs. Ravindra Jadeja and Harshit Rana were the most successful bowlers, each picking three wickets. Despite the regular fall of wickets, England managed to post a respectable total thanks to half-centuries from Jacob Bethell and Jos Buttler.
In reply, India successfully chased down the target in 38.4 overs, with four wickets to spare. Gill was named Player of the Match for his excellent innings of 86 runs. Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel also chipped in with valuable half-centuries to India's chase.
India and England will yet again lock horns with each other in the second ODI which is scheduled to be played on February 9 in Odisha.