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Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim praised Shubman Gill's composed captaincy and crucial 80 in India's six-wicket win over England in the first ODI at Edgbaston. Gill steadied the chase before retiring hurt, while Axar Patel and Washington Sundar sealed victory with an unbeaten 102-run stand. Karim believes Gill is growing into a confident and influential captain.

New Delhi: Former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim praised Shubman Gill's calm leadership and match-defining contribution in India's six-wicket win over England in the opening ODI at Edgbaston, saying the young captain is beginning to stamp his authority on the side and is well placed to evolve further as a leader.

Gill played a composed 80 before retiring hurt with cramps during India's chase of 259, helping steady the innings after the early dismissals of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. India eventually completed the chase thanks to an unbeaten 102-run partnership between Axar Patel and Washington Sundar, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Reflecting on Gill's performance, Karim said the skipper's temperament was evident both with the bat and in the way he has led the team.

“He is a very composed player, and his captaincy reflects that. It was very important to seize the moment after losing two early wickets, which Shubman Gill did as captain. He has played innings like this many times before. Today, he faced some issues due to the injury, but overall, he put the team in a position to win the game, which they did,” Karim told JioStar.