Dharamsala: It’s not easy to be nervous. Shabman Gul When he is batting in ODI cricket. The moment he steps out to bat, he slips into a zone where he takes control of the innings. The runs on the board are just one result of the process that the Indian skipper has mastered in 62 matches. Gayle’s ascension to the top of the ODI batting gained further momentum with an unbeaten 84 off 66 balls to help India chase down a target of 195 for seven wickets and 13 balls in the first ODI against Afghanistan at the foot of the mighty Dholadhar Range here. When India came out to chase after debutant pacer Gurnor Brar was hit with figures of 3/27 in a rain-affected match, Gill seemed least worried about proving the selectors wrong about his last-minute axing ahead of the T20 World Cup-winning campaign earlier in the year. In a flawless innings, he was neither looking to match Afghanistan opener Rehmanullah Garbaz’s brilliant 51-ball 102 nor did he match Ishan Kishan’s 22-ball 34 in a second-wicket partnership of 70 off 43 balls. Instead, Gill put in a brilliant performance to take India comfortably past the target. He played an opener and a finisher on the night. Gill knows he has a bigger job than just re-establishing his T20 credentials. He was controversially named ODI captain last October in a bid to stabilize the side ahead of next year’s ODI World Cup in South Africa, which featured two big names. Rohit Sharma And Virat Kohli Fighting a strange battle to prove their worth. He needs to calm down the dressing room first and lead from the front with the bat. When KL Rahul scored the winning runs, Gill did not let out his usual bellicose voice. He usually celebrates milestones and victories. Instead, he calmly took off his helmet and gloves and went back to the dressing room. In view of this, Afghan bowling may be difficult. But chasing 195 at less than eight runs per over on a real pitch in contemporary cricket should not have been a problem. Gill made sure there was none, even with indifferent knocks from Rohit and Shreyas Iyer. With every traditional wrist cover drive off spinners and punchy pull off medium pacers, Gill’s authoritative presence in the middle grew. He did a flawless job in the field to make things easier for his partners at the other end by dismissing Afghanistan’s trump card Rashid Khan, while Rahul ended proceedings with an unbeaten 39 in 19 to establish his command at No.5. The series marks the start of India’s preparations for the World Cup, which is still 15 months away. Gill played with his combination, debuting Brar and left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey. Throughout the day, Gayle showed he was firmly in charge even when Garbaz cut loose in the first innings of the match.
