India captain Shubman Gill revealed that his commanding 154 against Afghanistan was the product of a conscious effort to turn promising starts into match-defining innings, as the hosts sealed the ODI series with a commanding 170-run victory at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Gill, who struck 154 off 110 balls and shared a devastating 224-run partnership with Ishan Kishan, admitted the conditions took a physical toll on him, with the oppressive heat causing severe cramps during his stay at the crease. “A little sore, got a lot of cramps when I went out, but it was really hot and batted for almost 40-45 overs, so the body was getting a lot of cramps in different areas of the body, but it's much better now,” Gill said after collecting the Player of the Match award.
While the innings further reinforced his standing as one of India’s premier ODI batters, Gill suggested that the knock was less about form and more about executing a personal objective he had set for himself before the series. “Honestly, in a pretty good space.
The ball is going exactly where I want it to go, and I'm feeling very confident from the first ball,” he said. “Even in this match, in the series actually, I had a target for myself that I wanted to be there, I want to finish the matches and bat till 40-45 overs and build that habit.
Whenever I get a start, I want to convert those into big ones,” he added. That approach was evident throughout Wednesday’s innings. After Rohit Sharma’s brisk 48 laid the foundation, Gill took charge of the innings and paced it expertly before accelerating through the middle overs alongside Kishan.
The pair dismantled Afghanistan’s attack during a breathtaking stand that propelled India beyond 300 in record time and put the visitors permanently on the back foot. The Indian skipper also acknowledged that a double century had crossed his mind as he marched past 150, though team requirements remained his primary focus.
“Yes, I was,” Gill admitted when asked if he had been eyeing the landmark. “But I knew that I'll have to keep hitting my shots, keep 430, 440, 450 in mind,” he mentioned. His dismissal eventually arrived unusually when a reverse sweep found a fielder in the deep, ending what had been a near-flawless innings.
Reflecting on the shot, Gill offered a light-hearted explanation. “Yes, I actually think I middled it too well that it went to deep covers.” Despite India posting 402, Gill disagreed with suggestions that batting first provided a significant advantage on the Lucknow surface.
The captain felt conditions remained largely unchanged throughout the match and believed his side would have been equally comfortable chasing. “Not really,” Gill said when asked if it had been a good toss to lose. “Even if you would have bowled first, I think the wicket was pretty much similar.
If you would have gotten a target of 310-320, it would have been a good chase for us, and it would have been a good kind of pressure on our batting group,” he said. While the spotlight naturally fell on the batting fireworks, Gill reserved special praise for India’s bowlers, who backed up the mammoth total by dismissing Afghanistan for 232 despite a fighting 79 from Rahmat Shah.
India’s pace attack, led by Arshdeep Singh, Gurnoor Brar, and debutant Prince Yadav, maintained relentless discipline in testing conditions, a performance Gill felt deserved recognition. “I think they're all in very good space. The way our fast bowlers are bowling in this heat, on these wickets, it's not easy to keep hitting the deck, keep hitting those areas consistently with that pace. So very happy with that,” he said when discussing the newer faces in the squad.