India vs West Indies: In a record-breaking chase against the West Indies in the second ODI at Guwahati on Wednesday, Indian batter Rohit Sharma praised his opening partner and captain Shubman Gill for his brutal double ton, saying that such a big knock shows his “determination and concentration” after fielding for an entire innings.
During a successful record-breaking run chase of 406 runs, the best-ever by an Indian and the second-best of all time, centurion Rohit Sharma put on a 255-run opening stand with skipper Gill, the second-best by an Indian opening pair in ODIs. Gill kept firing all the cylinders even after his former captain was dismissed, smashing the fastest ODI century by an Indian captain and later the fastest double ton in ODI history, finishing at an unbeaten 223* in 133 balls, with 26 fours and eight sixes.
Rohit (three double tons) and Gill (two double tons) are now a part of a special ODI club as players with multiple double tons.
WATCH: Rohit Sharma Showers Praise on Shubman Gill
Speaking in a video by BCCI, Rohit said about Gill’s double ton, “It feels good, man. You don’t score 200 every day, so… It is a very memorable moment for him because he played beautifully, as we all saw. Very much in control from ball number one till the end of it. What was pleasing to see was fielding for 50 overs and then batting for almost 40-odd overs. It is not easy, but that shows determination and concentration, which we always talk about. So, it is a very confidence thing within the team. As I said, it doesn’t happen every time, these kind of performances, we will take a lot from this.”
Rohit Sharma Bounce Back With Century in IND vs WI 2nd ODI
Rohit also fired a 75-ball 101, with 10 fours and six sixes, becoming the third Indian to reach 12,000 ODI runs and the first batter to 200 sixes at home.
Speaking on his century, Rohit said, “It was hot, it was humid. When conditions are challenging, not the pitch, you know, I would take a lot of confidence from this. It is not an easy thing. You know, more than getting a 100, I think it was very, very pleasing for me to be out there, fighting for the team, doing the job.”
“And I am sure it will be the same for him (Gill) as well, because fielding for 50 overs, captaining for 50 overs… The captain goes through so much stress every now and then at occasions of the game. And then to come out and bat, and have that concentration and stay not out… Big positive,” he added.
Rohit Sharma Makes Job Easier: Shubman Gill
Gill spoke on how Rohit makes the job easier for the other opener and how the talk was to cross 70-80 runs within the first 10 overs. The Indian skipper also added that after Rohit unleashed his hitting, he decided to target the short boundary and take the attack against bowlers.
“He makes the job of the other opener very easy. We thought at the end of the Powerplay, if we are around 70-80 runs without losing any wicket, we’d be in a good position. And that is what we did. And after the Powerplay, Rohit bhai just unleashed, and then I had to catch up at one point. And then once I caught up, then I thought if the ball is in my zone, I will target the short boundary, and I’ll take on the bowlers,” he said.
Rohit Sharma’s Century Celebration Goes Viral
On Rohit’s animated celebration, which saw him hopping with his knees high and punching the air in delight, Gill said, “I was very happy to see Rohit bhai celebrating. He generally never takes off his helmet, never celebrates, but the way he celebrated, I was very happy to see that.”
On his celebration, Rohit said that “some celebrations are personal”.
“Some celebrations are very, very personal, so you do not need to, every time when you do something on the field, you need to come and explain,” he said.
Shubman Gill’s Record-Breaking Double Century
Gill ended unbeaten during the record-breaking chase of 406 runs at 223* in 133 balls, with 26 fours and eight sixes at a strike rate of over 167, which is the third-highest ODI score by a batter, next to Rohit Sharma (264) and New Zealand’s Martin Guptill (237*).
Gill overtook Ishan Kishan’s record of a 126-ball double ton against Bangladesh in 2022. Now, Gill, with two double tons, is the second batter alongside Rohit Sharma (3) with multiple double tons.
Gill’s feat also made him only the second batter after Glenn Maxwell to score an ODI double century while chasing. Maxwell had produced his remarkable 201 not out against Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in 2023 during the 50-over World Cup.
Gill also surpassed Maxwell’s Wankhede miracle to register the highest individual score while chasing.
The Indian skipper also overtook Virender Sehwag’s 219 against WI in 2011 to register the highest-ever ODI score by an Indian captain.
Gill reached his second-successive hundred of the series and third-straight ODI ton on home soil in just 62 balls, overtaking Rohit’s record for fastest century by an Indian skipper. The ‘Hitman’ had cracked a 63-ball ton against Afghanistan in the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup in Delhi.
The fastest ODI ton for India in men’s cricket, though, remains with Virat Kohli, who cracked a 52-ball ton against Australia in 2013.
Gill also raced to the 150-run mark in 89 balls, the fastest by an Indian in an ODI.