Shubman Gill commenced his new role as India's appointed ODI vice-captain with an impressive performance. He scored 87 runs off 96 deliveries, earning the Player of the Match accolade in India's four-wicket victory over England during the first ODI in Nagpur on Thursday. Batting at the No. 3 position, Gill faced cramps yet managed to hit 14 boundaries in a flawless innings. He emerged as India's leading scorer as the team successfully chased down England's target of 249 runs in just 38.4 overs, thereby taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Following the match, Gill, who is expected to serve as vice-captain during the Champions Trophy as well, mentioned that India’s captain Rohit Sharma encouraged him to share his thoughts freely. "In terms of batting, not much has changed," Gill remarked when questioned about his new vice-captaincy role. "...but on the field, I aim to understand the strategy and Rohit bhai's perspective while contributing my own insights. He has advised me to speak up during the match without hesitation."

India faced an early setback in their chase with the quick dismissals of Jaiswal and Rohit. Gill noted that he focused on maintaining a positive mindset during that challenging phase, and the entry of Shreyas Iyer proved to be beneficial. Iyer's explosive 59 runs off 36 balls alleviated the pressure on Gill and shifted it back onto the English side.

At a score of 19 for 2, my focus was on maintaining a positive mindset. There was some assistance available for the fast bowlers. The plan was to avoid falling too far behind and to execute solid cricketing shots. When a player like Iyer enters the game and performs well, it forces the opposition into a defensive position. His decision-making was impressive and significantly supported my innings, Gill remarked.

Gill executed several remarkable strokes, with the pull shot through mid-wicket being his preferred choice. "The pull shot I played through mid-wicket when I was on 70 was particularly satisfying. Regarding the pitch, I felt it had a bit of double pace. The spinners effectively varied their pace; when they bowled slower deliveries, the ball was turning. I aimed to focus on the square of the wicket rather than attempting to hit straight down the ground," he continued.

Earlier, the experienced left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, with figures of 3 for 26 from 9 overs, combined with debutant Harshit Rana to dismantle England for a subpar total of 248.

Rana's fourth over, which saw the dismissal of both Ben Duckett and Harry Brook, effectively curtailed the England innings, placing India in a commanding position as the visitors struggled to recover, despite fifties from captain Jos Buttler (52) and Jack Bethell (51).

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