Champions Trophy: Rohit Sharma Praises Gill for His Unbeaten Knock

Dubai, Feb 20 (NationPress) Following India's impressive start to their 2025 Champions Trophy journey with a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh, captain Rohit Sharma expressed satisfaction in seeing vice-captain Shubman Gill remain at the crease until the conclusion of the match. Gill, who scored an unbeaten 101, played a pivotal role in chasing down the target of 229 at the Dubai International Stadium. Taking a measured approach on a challenging pitch, he faced the pressure of wickets tumbling around him to finish with an unbeaten 101 from 129 balls, including nine fours and two sixes.

Although Gill's century was his slowest in ODIs, it proved invaluable as India heads into the crucial match against Pakistan at the same venue on Sunday, armed with newfound confidence after facing Bangladesh's formidable bowling attack.

Gill received commendable support from Rohit, who contributed a brisk 41, and K.L. Rahul, who navigated a tough phase to score a composed 41 off 47 balls, justifying his preference over Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeper-batter role. India completed the chase with 21 balls to spare.

“Before entering any match, confidence is key. During the chase, various emotions arise, but it's essential to remain prepared. We've encountered similar situations previously, and the experience in our dressing room aids in maintaining composure,” Rohit commented.

“KL and Gill showed great poise towards the end. We know Gill's class. He has been in exceptional form lately, and today's performance should come as no surprise. It was gratifying to see him through to the end,” Rohit added after the match.

Additionally, he expressed delight over Mohammed Shami making a successful return to ICC events with a remarkable 5-53, also becoming the fastest Indian bowler to reach 200 wickets. “I'm thrilled for Shami. He has waited a long time for this. We understand the quality he brings. Whenever we rely on him, he consistently delivers, and we need players like him to rise in crucial moments,” Rohit stated.

Rohit further noted the Indian team's effective adaptation to the prevailing conditions and anticipated a similar scenario for Sunday’s match against Pakistan. “It’s difficult to draw many conclusions from just one game. The pitch had minimal grass, and we expected it to play slower, which it did,” he explained.

“As a team, I believe we adjusted to the conditions exceptionally well, both in bowling and batting. While I can’t predict the pitch's future state, it is likely to mirror today’s conditions. I’m not the curator, but given the numerous matches played here, we will assess it on the 23rd,” he added.

During the match, Rohit also missed a catch of Jaker Ali at first slip, preventing Axar Patel from claiming a hat-trick. He acknowledged it was a straightforward chance he should have taken. “I might take him out for dinner tomorrow. That was an easy catch that slipped through my fingers, which is not typical of the standards I uphold in the slips. However, credit goes to Hridoy and Jaker for forming a significant partnership,” he remarked.

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto acknowledged that losing five wickets during the first powerplay was detrimental while praising Towhid Hridoy’s century and Jaker Ali’s 68. “Our performance in the first powerplay cost us dearly. It was challenging for the lower order to recover. Hridoy and Jaker’s batting was outstanding,” he stated.

He also lamented the missed fielding opportunities, which could have allowed Bangladesh to penetrate deeper into the Indian batting lineup. “We made several fielding errors, including dropped catches and a runout. Had we seized those chances, the outcome might have differed,” he reflected.

“On such a pitch, with spinners in action, Hridoy and Jaker batted superbly. I don't believe we were lacking in spin options; Mahmudullah's injury affected us. Our pace bowlers performed adequately. Had we taken an early wicket, the result could have been different,” he concluded.