India vs England: Shubman Gill growing into a menace for bowlers in ODIs, highlights Pietersen

The 50 over format has put up a likeable front for the Indian cricket team after the side suffered gruelling run in the longer format. The much needed change in fate has marked many top players redeeming their standings in the game. The whole of Indian batting lineup seemed to have struggled greatly to find runs in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, the young Shubman Gill being one among all. However, with the shift to ODIs, Gill has displayed the finesse that justifies his place in the squad, more so, his appointment as vice-captain in the format. Two matches into the India vs England series, Gill has already notched up two half-centuries while batting in different positions across both fixtures.

Kevin Pietersen lauds Shubman Gill following impressive knocks in the India vs England ODI series

Shubman Gill has emerged as one of India's most promising assets as the team prepares for the ICC Champions Trophy. With fans yearning for strong performances from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Gill wasted no time in rediscovering his rhythm upon returning to ODIs in the series opener against England. Batting at No. 3 in Kohli’s absence, rather than his usual opening spot, Gill adapted seamlessly to the situation. As debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal and skipper Rohit Sharma fell cheaply in Nagpur, Gill anchored the innings, guiding India through the chase with a composed knock of 87 runs.

In the second ODI, where Rohit Sharma announced his return to form, Gill once again delivered an impressive innings. Matching the tempo set by his captain, the Indian vice-captain registered another half-century, this time at an even better strike rate. The 25-year-old crafted a fluent 60 off 52 balls before falling to Jamie Overton, narrowly missing out on a well-deserved hundred. Gill’s consistent performances in the lead-up to the ICC Champions Trophy have drawn widespread praise, with one of the most notable acknowledgments coming from England cricket legend Kevin Pietersen. Pietersen, who was on commentary during the game, was particularly impressed with Gill’s technique and the challenge he poses to bowlers.

"I talked about a trigger when you get into big boy's cricket and you face the faster bowlers. You need a set yourself and it's a start that he's now started to take when he's been batting. I think that it's improved the way that he's played. What makes it even more intimidating to bowl to, is his ability to just play that pickup shot, that little punch shot of the back foot, because a bowler can't just hover short of a length," Pietersen said.

During his innings, the stylish right-hander relied on precision rather than power, finding the boundary nine times but opting for an aerial shot just once. He had also looked in great touch during the first ODI, where he missed out on a century after being dismissed for 87 in Nagpur. A mistimed shot cost him his wicket after he had already struck 14 boundaries, but his fluent strokeplay across both games has reaffirmed his reputation as a dangerous ODI batter.