'He Is Enjoying The Game': Shubman Gill Praises Virat Kohli After Record-Extending Century Against West Indies

India returned to ODI cricket on Sunday with an eight-wicket win over West Indies in the series opener, as Virat Kohli struck a record-extending 55th ODI hundred and Shubman Gill laid out one clear team priority after the match.

Gill said India want to keep an eighth batting option in the XI, even as the side tests different combinations. “Ideally yes. We would want an eighth batting option, someone who can contribute at least 25-30 runs,” Gill said.

He explained why India value extra depth. “We have seen many times we had been in good positions at 250 for 5, and then we weren't able to get scores that we wanted. So number eight becomes a crucial position for us. But we are open to trying different combinations and seeing what works for us,” he said.

Gill On Batting Depth

Gill led from the front. He made 110 off 108 balls with 13 fours and a six, but still felt he should have stayed till the end in a chase India completed with ease.

“Honestly, when I got out, I thought I should have finished the game. Would have been nice to be there in the end. But yes, very satisfying innings for me,” he said.

Kohli added another landmark in the win. Along with his 55th ODI hundred, he also reached 15,000 runs in ODI cricket. Gill said Kohli is batting with more freedom in this phase of his career.

“He is enjoying the game a lot more, playing with freedom and enjoying the game and those are the effects of his batting. He always had the game, he always had the ability to clear the boundary at will, and I think he's doing that right now,” Gill said.

Gill then explained why India are happy to let Kohli play his natural game. “Someone like him who's won so many matches for the country, who's done it over and over again, you just let him be, and you just want him to play however he feels like on the day, because when he plays well, he can win matches for you,” the Indian captain added.

Kuldeep Turns Match

Kuldeep changed the innings. West Indies had raced to 135 for no loss after choosing to bat, but Kuldeep Yadav hit back in the middle overs and finished with 4/40.

Gill said Kuldeep had swung the contest back India's way. “Someone like him, especially in the middle overs, if he's bowling well, he's a wicket-taker for us and he's proved over again and again, and today as well,” Gill said.

He added that India had been under pressure before Kuldeep's spell. “We were a bit on the back foot, with their opening partnership and how their top order was batting, but he got us back in the game, got us crucial wickets in the game, and at one point it looked like maybe they'll get 340-350, but from there to restrict them to 300 was a tremendous effort from us.”

Kuldeep said he felt in control on a flat surface and trusted his changes of pace. “I liked my rhythm, to be very honest. I was very calm in my rhythm and just trying to bowl whatever I felt like bowling, just varying the pace, variations were superb, just reading the batters, where they're going to hit me,” Kuldeep said.

Hope On Collapse

Hope pointed to the middle-overs slide. West Indies captain Shai Hope said his side left plenty behind on a good batting pitch in India.

“We could definitely put more runs on the board. When you come in on surfaces such as good surfaces here in India, you got to make sure you put a good score on the board. (We were) maybe 60 to 80 runs short, to be fair,” he said.