"They are playing the better player" - Mohammad Kaif on India selecting Shubman Gill ahead of Ishan Kishan

Mohammad Kaif believes Team India made the right call by playing Shubman Gill ahead of Ishan Kishan in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in Guwahati on Tuesday, January 10.

Gill scored 70 runs off 60 deliveries as the Men in Blue set a massive 374-run target for the visitors. Their bowlers then restricted Dasun Shanaka and Co. to 306/8 to register a comprehensive 67-run win.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Kaif concurred with the decision to play Shubman Gill ahead of Ishan Kishan, elaborating:

"It was the right decision. They are playing the better player. It is not that a left-hander is being sent at the top of the order so that you get a left-right combination. Shikhar Dhawan was playing because he was a good player and had a good record and not because he was a left-hander."

The former Indian batter praised Gill for delivering the goods despite the immense pressure on him, explaining:

"They played Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer. Gill will have to be praised because he knows the atmosphere in which he is playing. He knows Shikhar has been dropped and Ishan Kishan is sitting outside after scoring a double century but he showed faith in his game."

Shubman Gill in the last 13 ODIs:

64 (53).
43 (49).
98* (98).
82* (72).
33 (34).
130 (97).
3 (7).
28 (26).
49 (57).
50 (65).
45* (42).
12 (22).
70 (60).

- 707 runs at an average of 70.7 with 5 fifties and a century by Gill, he's been consistent in this format! https://t.co/RiuzlwvmsJ

Kishan played a belligerent 210-run knock in the final game of India's previous ODI series against Bangladesh. Gill, who performed consistently at the top of the order last year, was rested for that series.

"It was a typical Gill knock" - Mohammad Kaif on Shubman Gill's innings

Shubman Gill played a few sumptuous shots during his innings. [P/C: BCCI]

Kaif lauded Gill for playing to his strengths, observing:

"It was a typical Gill knock. He punches the ball very well. It is not that he is going to take time, it is not that he needs 15-20 balls. If you bowl a bad ball, he hits a boundary. He showed that by doing it today."

The cricketer-turned-commentator highlighted that the Punjab batter was the early aggressor in his opening partnership with Rohit Sharma, stating:

"Rohit Sharma started playing fast later. Shubman Gill hit the fours at the start. He gave momentum to the Indian innings. I like him a lot. He has the timing and elegance. He plays the flicks, the drives. The form he has got, he had a very good 2022 and is coming after scoring a century in a Test match, he made the best of that."

Shubh shuruat for Shubman Gill! 😍💪

#INDvSL | #TeamIndia | #AavaDe https://t.co/zvWYQul5Nw

Gill struck 11 fours during his innings. He strung together a 143-run partnership with Rohit, which laid the foundation for the hosts' mammoth total.