Indian ODI vice-captain Shubman Gill took one of the unforgettable catches in the Cuttack ODI to take a crucial wicket of the set batter Harry Brook.

After the English captain Jos Buttler chose to bat first in the Cuttack ODI, openers Phil Salt and Ben Duckett provided a strong start with an 81-run partnership for the first wicket. While Salt scored 26 runs, Duckett scored 65 off 56 balls after hitting ten fours. 

Joe Root and Harry Brook handled the post-powerplay situation very well as they had a crucial 66-run partnership off 85 balls for the third wicket. While Root was in full control of time progress, Brook was trying hard to find his form by putting his disappointing performances this tour behind him.

With the help of three fours and one six, Brook scored 31 off 51 balls before he was dismissed. The right-arm fast bowler Harshit Rana just returned to a new spell in his previous over, and the skipper Rohit Sharma’s plan proved successful in Rana’s next over. 

It was an off-cutter from Rana, which he set up for Brook. The English batter fell into that as his mistiming shot created a chance. It was a very tough chance for Shubman Gill as he was running back to grab that. Gill never lost his sight as he always kept his eye on the flying ball from mid-off and successfully grabbed that brilliant catch. 

#HarshitRana dismisses #HarryBrook with a brilliant catch by #ShubmanGill, giving India its 3rd wicket of this match! 👏🏻

📺 Start watching FREE on Disney+ Hotstar ➡https://t.co/1Z9DlYa3MT#INDvENGOnJioStar 2nd ODI 👉 LIVE NOW on Disney+ Hotstar & Sports 18 pic.twitter.com/4fa5IDqI2k

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 9, 2025

Hosts India recorded a comfortable victory to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against England in Nagpur.

England captain Jos Buttler chose to bat first after winning the toss. Despite a firing start, England were all out for 248 runs in 47.4 overs. In reply, India chased down the target in 38.4 overs after losing six wickets. 

Salt and Duckett set a strong start before the Indian bowlers' dominance

English opener Phil Salt and Ben Duckett put in a 75-run partnership for the first wicket in nine overs before a poor mix-up cost fine-form Salt’s wicket in a run out. Salt was dismissed for 43 off 26 balls (five fours and three sixes), while he hit 26 runs in an over to the ODI debutant Harshit Rana.

In the next over of Salt's run out, which was the last over of the first powerplay in the innings, Rana made a great comeback with two important wickets as Duckett (32 off 29 balls; six fours) and Harry Brook (0) were dismissed after Yashasvi Jaiswal and wicketkeeper KL Rahul took superb catches, respectively. 

Joe Root returned to the format after more than a year, but Ravindra Jadeja dismissed him for 19 runs, as England were struggling at 111/4.

Captain Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell provided some solid knocks, but those didn’t hurt the hosts. Bethell started very slow, while Buttler scored 52 off 67 balls (four fours) before he threw his wicket surprisingly against Axar Patel’s half-tracker, which found his top edge. 

Meanwhile, Bethell scored 51 off 64 balls (three fours and one six), but Jadeja dismissed him before he became dangerous in the slog overs. Jofra Archer (21 not out off 18 balls) added some crucial runs, but those were far from enough. 

Among the Indian bowlers, debutant fast bowler Harshit Rana (3/53) and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja (3/26) bagged three wickets each. Also, Mohammed Shami (1/38), Axar Patel (1/38), and Kuldeep Yadav (1/53) were mostly in control with one wicket each, and the wicketless Hardik Pandya (0/37) also impressed with his strong bowling performance. 

See Also: Ravindra Jadeja: The Only Indian Spinner with 600 Wickets and 6,000 Runs in International Cricket

India were 19/2 by losing both openers early

Indian openers failed in the chase as Yashasvi Jaiswal was dismissed by Jofra Archer by 15 runs, and the skipper Rohit Sharma was dismissed by Saqib Mahmood by only two runs. 

Shreyas Iyer set a counter-attack, valuable scores from Shubman Gill and Axar Patel

Struggling at 19/2, Shreyas Iyer produced a counterattack to quickly spoil the English bowlers’ party. Vice-captain Shubman Gill and Iyer produced a solid partnership to put control in the game. 

Iyer completed his half-century in 30 balls and scored 59 off 36 balls with the help of nine fours and two sixes before Jacob Bethell dismissed him through an lbw. However, the third-wicket partnership between Gill and Iyer added 94 runs. 

Then, Gill had another strong partnership with Axar Patel for the fourth wicket. Gill scored a 60-ball half-century, while Patel utilised his batting promotion with a 46-ball half-century. 

Patel scored 52 off 47 balls (six fours and one six) before Adil Rashid’s brilliant delivery bowled him. Patel and Gill had a 108-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Gill missed his century but scored valuable 87 runs off 96 balls with the help of nine fours.

Although there was a little hiccup in the Indian innings lately, where India lost three quick wickets, including Patel, KL Rahul (2), and Gill, the hosts comfortably chased the target. 

Among the English bowlers, Adil Rashid (2/49) and Saqib Mahmood (2/47) bagged two wickets each.

Before the beginning of the home ODI series against England, the Indian ODI vice-captain Shubman Gill spoke about his role as the deputy member of the leader. 

Rohit Sharma-led India are ready to restart their ODI journey. While the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 runners-up played only three ODIs in 2024, they are set for a three-match home ODI series against England, starting on February 6, before the beginning of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from February 19 and March 9. 

See Also: India's Updated Squad for ODI Series Against England: No Jasprit Bumrah

Shubman Gill has an ODI average of 58+

The 25-year-old right-handed top-order batter Shubman Gill has dominated in the ODI format in recent years. In his 47 ODI innings, Gill scored 2328 runs with an average of 58.20 and a strike rate of 101.74. He has recorded six centuries and 13 half-centuries, including one double century during the 2023 Hyderabad ODI against New Zealand.

So, there is no doubt that the Indian team management has chosen Gill to shape as the future leader of the team. In the press conference, Gill opened up about his feelings about the vice-captaincy role in the Indian ODI team. 

I take it as a challenge to lead my way: ODI vice-captain Shubman Gill

Gill is ready to take the vice-captaincy role as a new challenge. He is ready to prove himself with his performance along with his role as the deputy of the captain.  

Gill said, “Yes, I have been given an added responsibility and I take it as a challenge to lead my way firstly with my performance and then definitely in the field. If Rohit bhai would want my opinions and or anything, I think it's my duty to let him know what my thoughts are on the game. Just being I think part of the think tank. How GG bhai things, how Rohit bhai things, you know, what are the plans to certain batsmen, certain bowlers, how to take on certain opposition. Just learning that I think is a big curve for me and that's what I will try to do.”

Shubman Gill on learning from Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir. 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/dtq1evNSFq

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) February 4, 2025

Nagpur is ready to host the first game of the three-match ODI series between India and England on February 6. Cuttack and Ahmedabad will host the next two matches of the series on February 9 and 12, respectively.

The last round of the group stage of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 is around the corner. While the final round of the league stage will begin on Thursday (January 30), we have some important reports on the availabilities of the national team players. Here, we are going through these reports. 

Virat Kohli is set for Ranji Trophy return

Former Indian captain Virat Kohli is set to serve for Delhi. It will be his first match in the Ranji Trophy in the last 12 years. He last played a Ranji Trophy match in November 2012 against Uttar Pradesh. Kohli is set to train with the Delhi team from Tuesday (January 28).

See Also: Top 5 highest run-scorers in the Ranji Trophy history

KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja are also likely to play

KL Rahul is set to serve for Karnataka, who will face the Elite Group C table-toppers Haryana. He last played a Ranji Trophy match in February 2020. On the other hand, the Hyderabad pacer Mohammed Siraj is set to return to the Ranji Trophy. 

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who just returned to the Ranji Trophy to play against Delhi and won the Player of the Match award after picking up 12 wickets, will continue his service for Saurashtra. 

Rishabh Pant and Mumbai stars are likely to miss

On the other hand, Rishabh Pant, who served for Delhi in their last Ranji Trophy round match against Saurashtra, is unlikely to play the last round.

Indian Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma, who just returned to the Ranji Trophy almost a decade later, will miss out on the forthcoming last round of the group stage along with the Mumbai and national teammates Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer. 

Centurion Shubman Gill likely to unavailable

Punjab cricketer Shubman Gill, the vice-captain of the Indian ODI team, is also reportedly unavailable for the last round of the group stage in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season. The right-handed batter scored a century (102) against Karnataka in the latest Ranji Trophy round, where Punjab suffered an innings defeat despite Gill's heroic century.

The Ranji Trophy has been one of the foundation stones that has helped the Indian Cricket Team produce some impeccable and wholesome talent ever since the National team's inception. In the recent timeline, this domestic tournament has come under the spectator's radar as many prominent and experienced international campaigners are playing this tournament in order to warm up and get back to groom with their basic game through their well-versed Indian conditions.

Teams like England and Australia have current players with innumerable domestic experiences helping in their team successes; several Indian campaigners have started following that path, with the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ravindra Jadeja being one of the few. This listicle will look at the top five batters who have scored the most runs across the Ranji Trophy tournament's timeline. 

The 24-year-old Shubman Gill has thrown light on his recent challenges in red-ball cricket following his stellar century against Karnataka which ended in an embarrassing 207-run innings defeat for his side Punjab. Although his gritty 102 offered a spirited resistance in the second innings, Gill does admit that his innings came under high-pressure circumstances. 

See also: Ravichandran Ashwin Selected for Padma Shri in 2025 Padma Awards

Red-ball batting is a concern - Shubman Gill

During his recent conversation after the game, Gill candidly expressed that batting the longest format is quite a challenge. Getting to 25-30 runs seems smooth for the youngster but at that moment, the pressure to score big engulfs him which ultimately leads to his downfall. 

"Red-ball batting is a concern. Sometimes, I think with the red ball, in the matches that I play, I get very good 25-30 runs. I think in those moments, I put too much pressure on myself to score big runs. That’s not the way I have grown up playing my game." 

Overthinking poses another hurdle for the batter 

Gill has confessed that overthinking is another problem that hinders his batting in the longest format. The youngster will needlessly put himself in high-pressure situations due to overthinking which in turn has a negative impact on his composure as a batsman. 

"There is a certain zone that I am in, certain intent that I am in, and sometimes I lose that because I put too much pressure on myself that I have to get a big run now that I am set."

Gill perished early in the first innings off an inside edge but bounced back strong in the second innings on the back of a resilient batting display to keep Punjab in the race. In his marathon 171-ball 102, Gill smashed 14 fours and three towering sixes. His luck ran out when he was trapped leg before wicket by Shreyas Gopal during the 62nd over of the Punjab innings. 

Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina recently gave an interview where he shared his thoughts about the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which is set to begin on February 19. This edition of the tournament will be held in a hybrid model, with matches taking place in both Pakistan and Dubai. Raina, who was part of the winning Indian team in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, expressed his hopes for the Indian cricket team’s performance in the tournament.

In the interview, Raina was seen supporting Rohit Sharma, especially after Rohit's recent struggles in Australia and back in India. Despite these challenges, Raina expressed his belief that Rohit will make a strong comeback. He showed his trust in Rohit’s leadership, saying,

"I hope Rohit Sharma wins this trophy once again."

Raina talked about the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, where both he and Rohit Sharma were part of the winning team. He shared that he wants to see Rohit lift the trophy again, just like they did in 2013. Raina believes that Rohit has the ability to do it again in the 2025 edition of the tournament. He expressed confidence in Rohit’s leadership qualities, saying that this time, as captain, it will be even more special. While in 2013, he was a player, now Rohit will lead the team, and Raina is hopeful that his leadership will guide India to another win.

Also Watch: Captain Rohit Sharma assures India's best attempt to win ICC Champions Trophy 2025

In the interview, Raina also talked about the future of the Indian cricket team, especially in terms of leadership. When asked about Shubman Gill and his potential to take on a leadership role, Raina confidently said,

"Absolutely, I think he is the next Virat Kohli for the Indian cricket team."

Raina showed his belief in Shubman’s abilities. As Shubman has been appointed vice-captain for this tournament, Raina believes this is a great opportunity for him to prove himself. He mentioned that Shubman already has the experience to handle responsibilities, highlighting his leadership role with Gujarat Giants in the IPL.

Raina also shared his thoughts on Jasprit Bumrah, whose fitness remains a concern. Even though Bumrah is part of the squad for this tournament, his absence from the England ODI series has raised some questions. Despite this, Raina strongly believes that if Bumrah is fully fit and plays the entire tournament, he will deliver an incredible performance. Bumrah, being a key player for Team India, has Raina’s full trust. Talking about him, Raina said,

"Bumrah will be the man of the tournament if he plays all matches."

Suresh Raina said, 🗣️" Shubman Gill is the Next Replacement Virat kohli of Indian Team & I Hope Rohit Sharma to lift Champions Trophy 2025..!! (Star sports).

- Team india Next Star player For Shubman Gill...!!! 😎

pic.twitter.com/Mj6uLtslJG

— ARPIT• (@ImArpit_18) January 23, 2025

Also Read: "I Might Still Play One Day"—AB de Villiers Hints at a Comeback to Cricket

India Champions Trophy 2025 Squad

Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Kuldeep Yadav.

On Saturday, January 18, the Indian cricket team announced its squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will begin on February 19, along with the team for the three-match ODI series against England from February 6 to 12. However, one decision in particular caught everyone’s attention: the appointment of Shubman Gill as the vice-captain of the team.

This announcement sparked heated discussions, especially after Dainik Jagran reported that a serious argument had taken place during the squad selection meeting at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. The meeting, which was supposed to wrap up by 12:30 PM, went on for over two hours longer than planned. The delay reportedly happened due to disagreements over who should be named vice-captain. Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar pushed for Shubman Gill, seeing him as a potential future leader for Indian cricket. On the other hand, head coach Gautam Gambhir strongly backed Hardik Pandya for the role, emphasizing Pandya’s leadership skills and proven track record.

Gautam gambhir want hardik pandya as vice captain because of his performance in white ball cricket in recent time, he always choose players according to merit.

But there is rohit sharma who wants to control team that's why he always priorities his favorite players. pic.twitter.com/gIWcY4bmIE

— Ankit⁶⁴ (@TeamYashasvi) January 19, 2025

No one deserves ODI & T20I captaincy more than hardik pandya, BCCI and Rohit playing cheap politics again with him.

Now Rohit makes sure that hardik will not captain indian side in future. unreal politics just becoz hardik sacked him from IPL captaincy. pic.twitter.com/RsghSnIhW7

— Kevin (@imkevin149) January 19, 2025

The controversy gained more traction when fans started linking the debate to past IPL events. During the 2024 IPL season, Hardik Pandya had taken over the captaincy of the Mumbai Indians from Rohit Sharma. This led to speculation that personal issues between Rohit and Pandya might have influenced the decision at the selection meeting. Many accused Rohit of letting IPL dynamics interfere with national team decisions, while others believed promoting Gill was the right move for India’s future.

Also Read: Watch: Coldplay's Chris Martin Gives a Shoutout to Jasprit Bumrah at Mumbai Concert

Hardik Pandya, once seen as the next leader of the Indian cricket team, rose to prominence by leading the Gujarat Titans to the IPL final in 2022 and clinching the title in 2023. His leadership potential earned him the vice-captaincy in both ODIs and T20Is, where he successfully led India during Rohit Sharma’s absence. Despite being vice-captain during India's victorious T20 World Cup campaign in June 2024, his poor performance as captain in the 2024 IPL and other factors led to his sudden exclusion from the leadership group.

Also Read: Steve Smith sustains an injury to his elbow ahead of the Sri Lanka Tour

Following Rohit Sharma's retirement from T20 Internationals, the obvious choice for leadership seemed to be Hardik Pandya, given his previous experience and success. However, in a surprising move, Hardik was replaced by Suryakumar Yadav as T20I captain, with Axar Patel stepping in as vice-captain. Additionally, Shubman Gill was appointed as the ODI vice-captain under Rohit Sharma's leadership. This unexpected change has left Pandya entirely out of the picture.

There has also been significant discussion around the exclusion of Karun Nair and Sanju Samson from the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad. Karun Nair, who had an exceptional Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 season with 752 runs in 7 innings, including 5 centuries at a staggering average of 389.5, was surprisingly overlooked. Similarly, Sanju Samson's exclusion has sparked debates comparing his performances to Rishabh Pant’s.

Following a dismal previous edition, Gujarat Titans (GT), led by Shubman Gill, would look to rebound in IPL 2025. GT acquired numerous high-quality players in the big auction, leading to ticking all the boxes. Previously, they kept five players. GT's retention of Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Rashid Khan, Shahrukh Khan, and Rahul Tewatia was a no-brainer.

Overall, GT is an intriguing team with talented players in its ranks. The Titans are expected to perform well with a strong and seasoned team this season. GT has covered most of its bases, and the 2022 winners appear in good shape. That said, here we look at the major strengths and weakness of the 2025 version of Gujarat Titans.

Gujarat Titans 2025 IPL Squad: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Jos Buttler, Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Sherfane Rutherford, Gerald Coetzee, Glenn Phillips, Sai Kishore, Mahipal Lomror, Karim Janat, Gurnoor Brar, Arshad Khan, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Kumar Kushagra, Nishant Sindhu, Manav Suthar, Anuj Rawat, Kulwant Khejroliya.

2 Strengths:

Sorted and formidable top-order batting

Looking at the GT top-order batting lineup, they have firepower throughout. While Jos Buttler and Shubman Gill are at the top, while the English batter can provide energy, Gill will bring stability. Following these two hitters, Sai Sudharsan can routinely provide for the Titans. GT's consistency and aggression among the top three players can potentially hinder even the best opposition bowlers.

As a result, one should anticipate GT to get off to a solid start more frequently than not. Thus, we can see that the club has ample firepower across the lineup. If their batters click, they will not have to worry about losing momentum across their batting timeline, which can be backed up by their promising middle order with the proper set of batters against the varied opposition. 

Perfect variety of pace bowling options

Several pacers of the revamped side contribute depth, diversity, and dynamism to the Titans' bowling attack. With Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj and Gerald Coetzee, they have their new ball assault in place. Ishant Sharma, with his vast experience, can be pivotal. Aside from a well-organised and strong new ball assault, they have pacers who can be helpful in the death overs. 

Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj will again be the leaders in this situation because they possess a wide range of skills, experience, and reliability. In addition, Prasidh Krishna, Ishant Sharma, and Kulwant Khejroliya can also provide productive overs in the death overs. In addition, Afghanistan's emerging all-rounder, Karim Janat, adds variety to the ranks, whose medium pace can be utilised to the fullest. 

1 Weakness:

Lack of a reliable finisher or middle-order batter

Gujarat Titans have a solid top order but lack a reliable player who can bolster the middle order and finish the games, as they also play a pivotal role in changing the game's momentum. While Rahul Tewatia has shown promise under pressure, the club still needs a player who can consistently perform in difficult situations. Shahrukh Khan and Anuj Rawat have talent and calibre but has yet to establish as consistent finishers, particularly when chasing high totals or when the top order falters. 

Similarly, Sherfane Rutherford has shown potential in his early international career but has yet to distinguish himself in the IPL format. This lineup gap might be difficult for the Gujarat Titans during crucial times of the forthcoming season.

Srikkanth Calls Shubman Gill Overrated

On his YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth, a major name from India's 1986 World Cup win and famous for not holding back, got very upset with Shubman Gill. Mr. Srikkanth was basically saying, I have been telling people Shubman Gill is overrated for years but it's clear nobody cared. The man is significantly overrated.

Srikkanth questioned Gill's repeated inclusion in the playing XI and pointed out the lack of opportunities for other players like Suryakumar Yadav. Addressing the Ajit Agarkar led selection committee, he remarked, "When Gill is being given so many chances, one might wonder if someone like Suryakumar Yadav could have also been given a longer run in Tests."

Srikkanth mentioned that Suryakumar has the skills and technique, even though he didn't begin well in tests. But, he also said that the selectors and management see him mainly as a white-ball player, so they should look for new talent now.

ALSO READ: Yashasvi Jaiswal Considered as First Choice Opener for England Series

In addition to Suryakumar, Srikkanth recommended two other Indian batters for selection in the Test team. "Ruturaj Gaikwad, for instance, has been performing exceptionally well in first-class cricket, but he's been overlooked. Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan has been impressing in 'A' tours. It's important to promote such emerging talents, but instead, they keep picking Gill, running in circles," he added.

Rohit Sharma, the Captain, wasn't there for the Perth match, and Gill also missed the first Test because he was hurt--but India still won it. Gill wasn't part of the fourth Test because he wasn't doing a good job--but he did come back for the last trade. After coming back, India started to have a tougher time. Then everything became very exciting when Ravichandran Ashwin decided to retire right after the third Test, and everyone was discussing it.Despite coming back, Rohit decided to skip the fifth Test.

Cheeka talking about Shubman Gill.

- He is playing very poorly
- no one is talking about Gill, people talking about KL Rahul and virat form why not Gill
- If Gill plays in England 1 or 2 balls or 1 over He will get out pic.twitter.com/7kvj0J9OP0

— Prakash (@definitelynot05) January 4, 2025

Shubman Gill, who had been part of the Indian squad for the early matches, was sidelined for the first Test of the series due to an injury, which India won. At the same time, Rohit Sharma missed the Perth fixture, leaving avoid in the leadership and batting lineup. The team's fortunes took a downturn in the subsequent matches, with their performance faltering despite high expectations.

Ravichandran Ashwin, a key figure in India's bowling attack, announced his immediate retirement after the third Test under controversial circumstances, sparking debate within the cricket community. His exit added to the already tense atmosphere surrounding the team.

Gill, struggling with form throughout the series, was dropped for the fourth Test. He was given another opportunity to prove himself in the final Test, making his return to the playing XI. However, Rohit Sharma decided to sit out the fifth Test, raising questions about his fitness and readiness. His absence in the final match further complicated India's efforts to secure a victory in the series. Despite returning, Gill's performance remained under scrutiny, adding to the ongoing discussions about his place in the team.

Shubman Gill Career Stats Batting & Fielding