All eyes were on Shubman Gill as he stepped onto the iconic turf of the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the ODI World Cup 2023 final against Australia on November 19. Carrying the weight of immense expectations on his shoulders, Gill possessed an stunning track record at this very venue, his home ground in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
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Averaging a staggering 67 in IPL matches played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Gill had amassed an impressive tally of 669 runs in just 12 outings, including two scintillating centuries and three well-compiled half-centuries. His batting prowess at this venue was further solidified earlier in the year when he notched up a Test century against Australia, showcasing his ability to thrive under pressure.
However, despite his impressive record at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Gill's much-anticipated performance in ODI World Cup 2023 final took an unexpected turn. On his first ever World Cup-final, facing the relentless pace of Mitchell Starc, Gill found himself under immense pressure from the very first delivery. Starc's opening salvo nearly resulted in a golden duck for Gill, who edged the ball narrowly past the slip cordon. However, the reprieve proved to be short-lived. Unable to handle the mounting pressure, Gill misjudged a subsequent delivery from Starc, skying the ball straight to the fielder at mid-on. His dismissal, lasting a mere seven deliveries, left India's top order in a precarious position at 30/1 after 4.2 overs.
In an attempt to execute his signature short-arm jab pull shot off the front foot, the star opener mistimed the connection. Adam Zampa, stationed at mid-on, made a simple catch, and Gill's frustration was evident as he let out an angry cry before trudging off the field.
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Rohit, who gave India a stunning start, too followed suit and returned to the pavilion after scoring a lightning 47 off 31. The flurry of wickets didn't end their as Shreyas Iyer (4) and Virat Kohli (54) too fell in Australian bowlers' trap to leave India reeling at 148/4 after 28.3 overs.
Earlier, Australia's captain Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to bowl first.
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