Team India captain Shubman Gill was elated with the team’s eight-wicket win over the West Indies in the first ODI at the Greenfield International Stadium in Trivandrum on Sunday, September 27.
Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Gill asserted that he should have finished the game from the middle. However, he was satisfied with his match-winning 110-run knock off 108 balls with 13 fours and a six.
“Honestly, when I got out, I thought I should have finished the game. Would have been nice to be there in the end. But yes, very satisfying innings for me,” Shubman Gill said after the first ODI.
Further, Gill showered praise on the veteran wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who scalped a four-wicket haul, conceding only 40 runs in his 10-over spell. The star spinner picked up the wickets of John Campbell, Justin Greaves, Shai Hope and Jewel Andrew.
“Someone like him (Kuldeep), especially in the middle overs, if he’s bowling well, he’s a wicket-taker for us and he’s proved it over again and again, and today as well. We were a bit on the back foot, with their opening partnership and how their top order was batting, but he got us back in the game, got us crucial wickets in the game, and at one point it looked like maybe they’ll get 340-350, but from there to restrict them to 300 was a tremendous effort from us,” he added.
Later, the Indian skipper reserved special praise for the veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli, who scored an exceptional unbeaten 139-run knock off 88 balls with 10 fours and nine sixes to steer Team India to an eight-wicket win.
“He’s batting superbly, and I think he’s enjoying the game a lot more, playing with freedom and enjoying the game. And I think those are the effects of his batting. I mean, he always had the game, he always had the ability to clear the boundary at will, and I think he’s doing that right now. Someone like him who’s won so many matches for the country, who’s done it over and over again, you just let him be, and you just want him to play however he feels like on the day, because when he plays well, he can win matches for you,” he concluded.
