Shubman Gill helped himself to a second successive one-day international century as India started their Champions Trophy campaign with a comfortable win over Bangladesh in Dubai on Thursday.
The dapper opener rose to No 1 in the ODI batting rankings on the back of two half-centuries and a ton in the three-match series against England earlier this month.
Ahead of the tournament he received a ringing endorsement from his captain, Rohit Sharma. Gill justified the lavish praise as he scored 101 not out to hurry his side to victory.
On a testing wicket at Dubai International Stadium, Gill was a class apart as he underpinned the tournament favourites’ pursuit of 229 to win.
Rohit did join him in a fast start, and became the 10th player to score 11,000 career runs in the format in the course of his 36-ball 41.
But once he had departed, few of his teammates looked to be at ease. Virat Kohli, for example, arrived at the wicket to rapturous acclaim from the crowd, which scarcely appeared half full. Yet he struggled to 22 from 38 balls.
With Gill there to oversee the chase, they made it through in the end, winning with six wickets in hand, and 21 balls to spare.
It might all have been even easier for India. Rohit dropped a simple chance to his left at slip off Jaker Ali when Axar Patel was on a hat-trick in his first over.
Bangladesh would have been 35-6, and it felt likely they’d have been blown away in quick time. As it was, they made it to 228 all out in the last over, by which point Mohammed Shami had taken five wickets.
After a heavy diet of T20 cricket, the prospect of 100 overs felt like a battle of attrition for spectators and players alike.
Although the temperatures in Dubai have raised slightly in recent days, it is far from extreme heat. The game started in a pleasant 27° Celsius.
The weather was fine, but whether the players are attuned to batting for long stretches of time is another question.
Bangladesh arrived with no ODI cricket before this tournament, and had recently finished a season of T20 in the Bangladesh Premier League.
Nazmul Hossain Shanto, their captain, said ahead of the game that should not be a problem. “We play a lot of cricket especially in this format,” Shanto had said.
“Domestically we had a lot of matches but recently we finished BPL and a couple of batters batted really well and they scored a lot of runs. That gives us a lot of confidence. I don't think it will be a problem to adjust this format.”
The state Towhid Hridoy was in by the end of his maiden ODI century suggested conditioning could be an issue, though.
In rescuing his side from 35-5, Hridoy shared in the highest partnership by a Bangladesh pair against India in ODI cricket, and the highest by any team for the sixth wicket against them.
That was a stand of 154, before his batting partner, Jaker, became Shami’s 200th ODI wicket. As Jaker departed for 68, Hridoy was treated for cramp. His condition only got worse from there.
Hridoy collapsed at the crease after facing his 107th ball when 91 not out, cut down by ever worsening cramp. He smoked the next ball he faced for four, but soon after the issue had even extended to his hands.
Somehow, he brought up a courageous century off 114 balls in the penultimate over, which brought all supporters – Indians included – to their feet.
He was finally out with two balls left in the innings, but which point he was almost entirely incapacitated. Those offering applause as he limped his way off included Sunil Gavaskar, the Indian great who was on the boundary line in his commentary role.
