India captain Shubman Gill joins three India legends with prestigious record

India Captain Shubman Gill Joins Elite ODI Club with Seventh Player of the Series Award

India concluded the West Indies ODI series with a narrow five-wicket loss in the final match, but captain Shubman Gill achieved a major milestone, leading the hosts to a 2-1 series triumph.

In the third ODI at New Chandigarh, West Indies successfully chased down India’s total of 351 for 7, finishing at 352 for 5 in 48.2 overs. Shai Hope played a spectacular unbeaten innings of 162 runs, securing the highest successful ODI chase in West Indies history. Earlier, an unbeaten 129 from KL Rahul propelled India to a strong total after they had slipped to 4 for 2.

Despite the loss in the final game, Gill was named Player of the Series following an outstanding campaign that amassed 334 runs. The India captain started strongly with 110 in the opening ODI and followed it up with a breathtaking unbeaten 223 in the second match. Although he scored only one in the deciding game, his overall contribution across the series was sufficient to secure the prestigious award.

This prestigious accolade also cemented Gill’s place in an elite club of Indian ODI cricket. With seven Player of the Series awards, Gill has now matched the tally of legends Yuvraj Singh, Sourav Ganguly, and MS Dhoni. Sachin Tendulkar leads the list with 15 awards, followed by Virat Kohli with 11.

Most Player of the Series awards for India in ODIs:

• 15 – Sachin Tendulkar
• 11 – Virat Kohli
• 7 – Yuvraj Singh
• 7 – Sourav Ganguly
• 7 – MS Dhoni
• 7 – Shubman Gill

All seven of Gill’s Player of the Series awards have come since 2022, underlining the remarkable consistency he has displayed in the format. During this period, no other Indian player has collected more than three Player of the Series awards.

Reflecting on India’s performance after the final ODI, Gill noted, “A lot of boxes were ticked. I think there are still some areas that definitely need fine-tuning. I was very happy with the total, and I felt the game was in control.”

He also highlighted areas that require improvement ahead of the 2027 World Cup. “Decently pleased, I would say, but as I said, there are still some areas to address. Our fielding could be much better. Overall in the series, we dropped around six or seven catches, which is not a good sign leading up to the World Cup.”

Source link