Shubman Gill slammed another brilliant hundred, steering India past Afghanistan by a massive 170 runs in the second ODI. Victory was locked in early, thanks to his relentless knock – 154 runs built patiently yet powerfully across 110 balls. At Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, under fading light, he carved out dominance: 22 boundaries danced off his bat, plus two towering clearings. The series is sealed now, 2-0 up, with leadership that spoke through timing and precision rather than noise.

The heat pressed down hard on the game that day.

Nearly forty overs passed
with Gill holding position, body pushing through rising fatigue. Cramps started biting late in his stay at bat. Still, he pushed forward, legs straining with every dash across the pitch, runs ticking by one after another. A left-arm spinner, Nangeyalia Kharoti, finally broke through. The 26-year-old walked off just as the tension eased.

Shubman Gill reveals battle with cramps in Lucknow heat

After the game ended, Gill said the extreme heat had worn him down. His energy faded under the blazing sun. That kind of weather pushed him harder than expected.

It wasn’t just fatigue – it was the weight of relentless warmth slowing each step. Recovery felt slow once he left the field.

“A little sore. I got a lot of cramps when I went out to bat. It was really hot, and I ended up batting for almost 40-45 overs, so my body started cramping in different areas. But it’s much better now,” Gill said.

The Indian captain found rhythm early. Two games in, his bat keeps talking – 238 runs stacked up quietly. That number sits alone on top, highest among all batters now. His average is a clean 238. Every time he hits, it travels fast – a strike rate near 135 tells that tale.

Runs keep coming without noise.

Fresh off a string of solid knocks, Gill feels his timing is clicking just right now. Instead of rushing, he’s choosing to stay longer, shaping each inning with more weight. Hitting the ball well means less wasted effort at the crease. Staying put lets him push past good beginnings toward something bigger. Rather than folding early, he’s building resilience through patience shot by shot.

“Honestly, I’m in a really good space right now. The ball is going exactly where I want it to, and I’m feeling very confident from the first ball.

Throughout this series, I set a target for myself to stay at the crease, finish matches, and bat for 40-45 overs to build that habit. Whenever I get a start, I want to convert it into a big score,” he said.

That series win locked up, eyes turn to Chennai, where Gill lines up alongside India again on June 20. The last match against Afghanistan looms at MA Chidambaram Stadium, a chance to finish without blemish. A full set of wins sits within reach when the two teams meet for the final time.

That series win locked up, eyes turn to Chennai, where Gill lines up alongside India again on June 20. The last match against Afghanistan looms at MA Chidambaram Stadium, a chance to finish without blemish. A full set of wins sits within reach when the two teams meet for the final time.