Shubman-Gill-

Shubman Gill’s Landmark Century Signals India’s Strength Ahead of ICC Champions Trophy

 

Indian vice-captain Shubman Gill etched his name in the record books with a stunning century in the third ODI against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium. His knock of 112 off 102 balls made him the first Indian to score a century in his 50th ODI, marking a significant milestone in his career.

 

Century Mark in a Historic game

 

Gill played a near-flawless inning, mixing caution and aggression to anchor India's first innings. He reached the century in style, flicking Mark Wood for a boundary on the mid-wicket side and raising his helmet to the already roaring crowd. At 24, he exhibited the perfect way to go about an ODI innings: build it incrementally, only to accelerate in patches.

Adil Rashid, with his leg break googly that went under Gill’s bat, managed to knock the leg stump. By then, India had already set itself so comfortably, at 226 for 3. This century was also Gill's third consecutive innings of 50+ in this series, having got half-centuries in the first two.

 

Gill's Form: A Major Boost to India

 

Gill's form is a good omen for India, more so as the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is only a week away. The ability to score big runs consistently just before the ICC tournament is a reprise of his form when before the 2023 World Cup, he scored five ODI centuries before coming down with an illness that leveled his progress for a bit. 

Gill’s current form has also put him on the verge of becoming the ICC men's ODI number one batter. As per the latest ICC rankings update, he is trailing behind Pakistan's Babar Azam by just five points, meaning that he could snatch the top rank in a matter of a single sterling performance.

 

India Eyes Whitewash After Series Win

 

India has already registered a series win 2-0 and is now in a vantage position to achieve a 3-0 whitewash. The batting lineup has performed well with the bat, along with Gill, who leads from the front. The outstanding performance of India's batting order leaves the team optimistic for a successful run with Gill at the point.

India will start their Champions Trophy tournament on February 20 by facing Bangladesh at Dubai Stadium. Since Jasprit Bumrah remains out because of injury the batting unit has become essential to kick-start the tournament effectively. The match-winning hundred Gill recorded against England at a crucial time empowers the team for the upcoming ICC competition.