BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar's decision to name Shubman Gill as the vice-captain over Hardik Pandya for the Champions Trophy raised quite a few eyebrows after his forgettable campaign in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. But the India star vindicated the call with a brilliant knock of 87 against England in the opening ODI match of the three-game series on Thursday in Nagpur.

Unlike any of his previous 45 matches in the format, Gill surprisingly did not open for India at the VCA Stadium. With Virat Kohli out with a knee injury, Yashasvi Jaiswal was handed his debut cap, and was picked as the opener alongside captain Rohit Sharma. The move backfired with the left-hander getting dismissed for 15 off 22, but Gill, who dropped one down, helped India bounce back with his valiant knock of 87 off 96.

The 25-year-old played second fiddle in the 94-run stand for the third wicket alongside Shreyas Iyer, who smashed 59 off 36, before taking charge in the 108-run fourth-wicket stand with Axar Patel, who as well scored a half-century. Gill laced 14 boundaries and hit no sixes in his unbeaten 96-ball as India cruised to the target of 249 with 11.2 overs to spare.

The century marked the return of Gill, who had struggled during the tour of Australia, scoring just 93 runs in five innings. He was even benched in the Melbourne game, albeit due to India's batting plans for the game.

Why did selectors pick Gill as vice-captain?

Last month, during a media interaction coinciding with the announcement of India's squad for the Champions Trophy, Agarkar articulated that the decision to appoint Gill as Rohit's new deputy in ODI cricket, rather than Hardik, was influenced by feedback from the dressing room and the presence of 'leadership qualities.'

"Shubman was already serving as vice-captain in Sri Lanka, so I wouldn't overanalyze this decision. Much of the feedback originates from the dressing room. It is also important to maintain flexibility in your choices. One of the challenges we face is that few players are currently leading their state teams... however, we are consistently on the lookout for individuals who exhibit leadership potential," he remarked.

India take lead in England series

England captain Jos Buttler chose to bat first in Nagpur; however, his team struggled with consistent wicket losses, ultimately being dismissed for 248 runs in 47.4 overs. Buttler contributed a score of 52, while Jacob Bethell added 51, marking the only significant performances for the visitors. On the Indian side, debutant fast bowler Harshit Rana and spinner Ravindra Jadeja were the standout performers, each claiming three wickets.

With this victory by four wickets, India has taken a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The next match is scheduled to take place on Sunday in Cuttack.

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