IND vs ENG : Lambi Race Ka Ghoda- Ex India Star Heaps Huge Praise On Shubman Gill After Heroics In 1st ODI

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IND vs ENG : Shubman Gill delivered a stellar performance in the opening ODI against England at Nagpur on February 6, playing a match-winning knock of 87 runs.

His composed innings ensured India chased down England's total of 248 with four wickets in hand, securing a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Gill's mature batting, along with key partnerships with Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel, helped India recover from early setbacks.

While Gill impressed, Yashasvi Jaiswal had a forgettable debut in the 50-over format. The young left-hander, who has already made a mark in Test and T20I cricket, managed only 15 runs before being dismissed. Many see Jaiswal as a future superstar and a potential successor to stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. However, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes it is Gill who is set for a long and successful career.

Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Manjrekar lauded Gill's performance and called him "lambi race ka ghoda," a term used for players expected to have a prolonged impact. "We had a term in the team 'Lambi race ka Ghoda' for certain players. Meaning someone who will be around for a long time in Indian cricket. That's what Shubman Gill is!," Manjrekar wrote.

England, after being put in to bat, got off to a solid start with an opening stand of 75 between Phil Salt and Ben Duckett. However, India's bowlers quickly turned the game around, striking at regular intervals. Ravindra Jadeja and young pacer Harshit Rana were the standout performers, each claiming three wickets as England were bowled out for 248. Despite half-centuries from Jacob Bethell and skipper Jos Buttler, England failed to post a more challenging total.

In response, India's chase wasn't entirely smooth, with wickets falling at key moments. However, Gill anchored the innings beautifully, stitching crucial partnerships with Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel, both of whom contributed valuable half-centuries. India reached the target in 38.4 overs, comfortably sealing victory.