'Incredible consistency with the bat, brilliant as a captain' - Irfan Pathan lauds Shubman Gill for Edgbaston heroics

Shubman Gill had a wonderful outing, not just with the bat but also as a captain, in the first ODI between India and England on Tuesday, July 14, at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Chasing a 259-run target, India lost stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli within the first nine overs. While Rohit scored 11, Kohli made just five. Shubman, however, held fort, and forged a much-needed 101-run stand alongside Shreyas Iyer for the third wicket, which came off 103 balls.

Shubman completed his half-century in 51 deliveries and went on to score 80 runs before having to retire hurt with what seemed like an issue with the back of his right leg. During his knock, Shubman took his ODI average to over 60.

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan heaped praise on the 26-year-old for his surreal consistency with the bat in the 50-over format.

"Incredible consistency from Shubman Gill in ODIs. A batting average of 60 with a strike rate of over 100 after 64 matches is an achievement no one has managed before," Irfan Pathan wrote on his official 'X' (formerly Twitter) handle.

Shubman Gill wasn't just good with the bat, but he also had a great outing as captain of the side. His bowling changes brought immediate results almost every time, as India dismissed England for 258 in 47.5 overs on a decent batting surface.

"Brilliant maneuvering of the bowlers by Shubman Gill. Brilliant captaincy. He has understood the pulse of the game perfectly so far, making all the right bowling changes at the right moments," Pathan wrote.