'When he bats, it seems he is million-dollar': Former batter 'disappointed' by India star missing out on ODI century

The batter's wicket was a disappointing one, as he had looked secure up till that point, and robbed himself of a century against West Indies.

India’s three-run victory in the first ODI over the West Indies was largely thanks to the strong contributions of their top-3 in the batting innings as they set a score of 309 for the hosts to chase. Captain Shikhar Dhawan top-scored with 97, and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer played well to get to 54. The last member, Shubman Gill, is the one who looked the most comfortable and the most fluent, racking up 64 (53) by taking the attack to the Windies, putting the Men in Blue in the driver’s seat.

India's captain Shikhar Dhawan, right, and Shubman Gill knock to celebrate a fifty runs partnership against West Indies (AP)

Former Indian opener and current commentator Aakash Chopra was full of praise for the way Gill played on Friday, pointing out that Gill always looks in control and aesthetically a pleasing batter to watch, because of his sound technique and textbook shots.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra lauded Gill for the way in which he got the innings going alongside his senior opening partner.

"Shubman Gill batted extremely well. The way he started with the drive, after that the punch, and the straight six he hit, he is brilliant. When he bats, it seems he is million-dollar," said Chopra. Gill’s innings consisted of six boundaries and two maximums, as he looked to take the initiative to both seamers and spinners, never allowing them to settle and looking comfortable at the crease.

However, his wicket was a disappointing one, as he had looked secure up till that point, and robbed himself of a century.

Chopra made this point as well – "A half-century is a fantastic return but in my opinion, it was a century missed, an opportunity not lost but definitely missed, because you were playing very well, the opposition team was down, the wrestler had fallen and you just had to crush him."

India had brought up the 100-run opening partnership inside the first 15 overs, and had Gill remained at the crease, could have taken the attack to the Windies with wickets in the bank. Gill placed on in the gap, but was complacent in his running, as he presented the West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran with a run-out opportunity that never should have existed. It was a fine piece of fielding, pivoting quickly and hitting the stumps, but Gill should have been long home by then.

"The way he got run out, that was a lazy run, honestly. It was his own call, it was an easy run as well but he didn't reach the other end, he was out by such a huge margin, put in the dive. I was slightly disappointed,” said Chopra of the dismissal.

Iyer and Dhawan would keep the momentum going, but after they fell (Iyer to another inspired piece of fielding by Pooran) the middle order couldn’t capitalize: India looked set for 350+, but had to settle for 308. However, they bowled well, and regular wickets meant that West Indies never looked like favourites for the match, even after a strong start of their own.