Shubman Gill roars his form with a century in the final India vs England ODI

The brightest spot in the Indian team before they head to the ICC Champions Trophy is undoubtedly the vice-captain, Shubman Gill. His form in the 50-over format has almost never been a point of concern. However, his struggling form in the Tests, similar to the struggle of most of the Indian batters who played the Border Gavaskar Trophy, fell to harsh scrutiny. The boundary between formats faded when the fans grilled their forms as the team prepared for the ODI season. However, Gill, who was named the vice-captain of the side for the India vs England series as well as the Champions Trophy, much to people's chagrin, didn't take any time in reminding the masses of his standing in the format.

Shubman Gill impresses with a century in the final India vs England ODI

At the turn of the three India vs England ODIs, Shubman Gill has reclaimed all that he lost during the Border Gavaskar Trophy. His standing as the primary opener, his position as the vice-captain for the marquee tournament, all stands validated with his consistently impressive knocks in the England ODIs. Coming close to the three-figure scores in the previous matches, Gill finally closed on one in the final ODI as he returned to his hunting ground in Ahmedabad. The ton in the third India vs England ODI marked his 7th century in ODIs. Moreover, the 25-year-old became the first-ever Indian to score a ton in his 50th ODI.

After Buttler opted to bowl first, Shubman Gill looked in sublime form, unfazed even by the early departure of captain Rohit Sharma in just the second over. Partnering with Virat Kohli, who rediscovered his rhythm with a much-needed half-century, Gill steadied the Indian innings while capitalizing on England’s loose deliveries. His composed yet aggressive approach saw him reach a well-constructed century in 95 balls. In the process, he carved his name into the record books, becoming the quickest player to amass 2500 runs in ODIs. Surpassing Hashim Amla’s long-standing feat, Gill achieved the milestone in just 50 matches, three fewer than the South African great.

This knock also marked his third consecutive half-century in the series, placing him among an exclusive set of batters who have managed to register a fifty in every match of a bilateral series. But Gill wasn’t content with just another fifty. With a crisp flick to the boundary off Mark Wood, he brought up his hundred on his 95th delivery. His celebration remained the signature bow towards the dressing room, followed by a nod to the cheering crowd.

By reaching three figures, Gill joined an elite club of players who have recorded centuries across all three formats at a single venue, further cementing his status as one of India’s most promising batting talents. The 25-year-old has now hit a ton at the Narendra Modi Stadium in all Tests, T20Is, and now ODI with another recorded in the IPL as well. Though there remain significant doubt over the India squad for the ICC Champions Trophy with Jasprit Bumrah being unavailable, Gill surely moves as the MVP prospect for the tournament.