India vs Afghanistan: Shubman winger Gill-Ishan Kishan gives a glimpse into India’s 2027 ODI World Cup blueprint | Cricket news
TimesofIndia.com in Lucknow: And it’s no secret Team IndiaHead coach Gautam Gambhir He is a strong believer in the left-right batting combination.The foundation of the Indian T20I model has been built around this principle. With Abhishek Sharma Ishan Kishan With Tilak Varma in the top six, India has several southern powers to disrupt their bowling plans. In contrast, the right-handers have largely dominated the ODI setup. Even during the Champions Trophy, the team management had to promote Axar Patel to number five to break the monotony. There have been multiple discussions about bringing some left-handers into the mix, but the batting unit has maintained its stable profile since the ODI World Cup 2023. There have been some movements based on the game situation but the right-handers have been the flavour. After the Champions Trophy rally, India lost the ODI series to Australia and South Africa, and Virat Kohli’s injury opened up an opportunity to shake things up a bit. The think tank wasted no time: Ishan Kishan came on at number three in a rain-reduced ODI in Dharamsala, and Yashasvi Jaiswal opened with Rohit Sharma, forcing Gill to come on at a moment’s notice for the second contest in Lucknow.While the left-right combination at the top didn’t work as Jaiswal was dismissed cheaply, Gill and Kishan mounted a 224-run stand for the third wicket. The partnership had it all: elegant fielding, towering sixes, constant runs between the wickets and complete control of the opposition attack. With 140 deliveries, the duo offered a compelling glimpse of what India’s batting chart for the 2027 ODI World Cup could look like.The heat was brutal and played an important role in shaping India’s innings. Temperatures remained above 40 degrees Celsius throughout, and it was clear that the players were struggling to cope. Although three official drink breaks were scheduled, hitters repeatedly asked to drink fluids between covers, and even wore ice packs around their necks. The duo suffered from cramps, and the Indian skipper looked completely exhausted by the time his innings was over.
Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill entertained the crowd at the Ekana Cricket Stadium with a 224-ball stand across 140 balls in Lucknow. (Annie’s photo)
Despite the harsh conditions, they gave the 13,000 spectators at Ikana Stadium plenty to cheer about. Those who braved the extreme heat were treated to a spanking gallery of the highest quality.After his Player of the Match-winning try in the first ODI, Gill once again asserted his authority with a brilliant 154 off 110 balls, studded with 22 fours and two sixes. It was also his maiden ODI century as India captain.Gill was at his dominant best. After Jaiswal’s early dismissal, he came in and picked up exactly where he left off in Dharamsala. His cover drives were regal, while his flicks, cuts and pulls showed the full range of his strokes.India’s highest stands in ODIs for the third wicket:
- 237* innings – Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar in 1999
- 233* Runs – Virat Kohli and KL Rahul in 2023
- 224 innings – Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli in 2009
- 224 runs – Ishan Kishan and
Shubman Gill In 2026 - 221 innings – Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh in 2009
At the other end, Kishan started cautiously before shifting through the gears. The left-hander raced to a century off 71 balls, only the second ODI hundred of his career after his famous double century against Bangladesh in December 2022.Once Kishan settled down, he became the aggressor in the partnership. He quickly caught up with his leader, launching six strikes all over the ground. It was a wonderful contrast of styles. Gill’s roles were like classical music, built on timing, balance and elegance. Kishan brought a rock and roll element, generating immense power with his powerful bottom hand and fearless intent. One of them produced great drives; Other bowlers hit with sweeping strokes and towering strokes.
With 125 runs off 79 balls, Ishan Kishan scored his second ODI century against Afghanistan in the second ODI in Lucknow. (AP)
Kishan’s second fifty came in just 19 deliveries as the duo tightened their grip on the match. Both batsmen hit centuries at the same time and, at that point, India looked on course with a total of over 450.Kishan was eventually dismissed for 125 when Nangeyalia Kharote caused a foul that was safely put in at deep midwicket. His innings included 14 fours and seven sixes. Meanwhile, Gil was suffering from severe cramps, and found it difficult to turn singles into doubles. Realizing his physical limitations, he changed gears and targeted the limits repeatedly. He crossed the 150-run mark before mistimed a sweeper’s switch-hit and departed for 154.However, the middle and lower order in India have failed to leverage the platform. In their eagerness to clear the ropes, the wickets fell in bunches and the innings lost momentum during the final over.
Shubman Gill slammed his maiden century as India’s ODI captain during the second ODI against Afghanistan in Lucknow. (that I)
However, for Gill and Gambhir, perhaps the most important takeaway was the partnership itself. The left-right combination constantly forced the Afghan bowlers to change their lines and lengths, disrupting the pitch setups and preventing the opposition from settling into rhythm. More importantly, it combined two contrasting batting styles without compromising India’s run-scoring rate. With a road to the 2027 ODI World Cup, Lucknow may be remembered as the day India got a clearer picture of what the ideal batting template could look like.
