‘Yes, I was’: Shubman Gill admits chasing two hundreds after battling spasms against Afghanistan

NEW DELHI: India captain Shubman Gill revealed he had a double century in his sights after a scintillating 154 against Afghanistan in the second ODI on Wednesday, saying he had set his sights on batting deep ahead of the series and turning starts into match-defining scores.Gill overcame oppressive conditions and severe cramps to anchor a mammoth total of 402 before the hosts completed a crushing 170-run victory in Lucknow to seal the three-match series. When asked if he was eyeing the 200 mark, Gill admitted he had begun to think about it.“Yes, I was, but I knew I had to keep my strokes going, keep 430, 440, 450 in mind,” said the Man of the Match.The Indian skipper added that he is currently enjoying one of the best phases of his career.“In a pretty good space to be honest. The ball is going exactly where I want it to go and I feel very confident from the first ball,” he said.

Gill and Kishan propel India to 402

Gill’s 154 off 110 balls, laced with 22 boundaries and two sixes, combined with Ishan Kishan’s explosive 125 off 79 deliveries to put the Afghan bowlers to the sword. The pair shared a blistering 224 for the third wicket after Rohit Sharma contributed 48.Gill revealed that he had a specific goal in mind before the series.“I had a target for myself that I want to be there, finish the matches and bat in 40-45 overs and build that habit. Whenever I start, I want to convert them into big ones,” he said.His innings ended in an unusual way.“Actually, I think I centered it pretty well,” Gill joked of the reverse move that found the fielder in deep cover.

Heat takes its toll but India dominates

The scorching conditions in Lucknow proved challenging and several players battled cramps. Gill was hitting the ice collar himself and did not return to the field after being sent off.“It hurt a bit, I got a lot of cramp when I went out, but it’s a lot better now,” he said after spending almost 45 operations in the crease.Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi admitted his side were outplayed.“You can’t put all things in the lot. Our bowling was not good. We gave them momentum in the first 20 overs,” he said.Arshdeep Singh, who took 3/45, praised India’s young pace unit, saying debutant Prince Yadav and fellow newcomer Gurnoor Brar were “hungry for success and taking wickets for fun”.With Chennai set to host the ODI final on Saturday, Gill’s remarkable knock not only sealed the series but also highlighted his growing appetite for truly monumental scores.