Shubman Gill sets record with 7th ODI century

Shubman Gill showcased his exceptional form in the third ODI against England, securing a century to bolster India's chances ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy. The 25-year-old's innings of 112 comes on the heels of scores of 87 and 60, crucial for an Indian team grappling with the inconsistency of senior players and the absence of star pacer Jasprit Bumrah due to injury.

Gill's ability to balance caution with aggression was evident as he built pivotal partnerships with Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer, eventually reaching his century in just 95 balls.

This milestone makes Gill the first Indian to notch a century in his 50th ODI and the fastest to achieve seven ODI centuries in the same number of innings.

Furthermore, he joins an elite club of players to have scored centuries in all three formats at a single venue, alongside names like Faf du Plessis and David Warner. Gill achieved this feat at Motera, Ahmedabad.

With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 looming, India, led by Rohit Sharma, is eyeing the top spot in the ICC ODI player rankings. Babar Azam remains at No. 1, but Gill's performance has propelled him to second place, just five points behind. Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma is closing in, sitting third, only 13 points off the lead after his century in Cuttack.

The ODI rankings see other batters making a comeback as well, with Fakhar Zaman at 13th and familiar faces such as Kane Williamson, Jos Buttler, Devon Conway, and Joe Root reclaiming their places. The competition among bowlers is equally intense, with Rashid Khan, Maheesh Theekshana, Bernard Scholtz, Shaheen Afridi, and Kuldeep Yadav closely contending within the top five.

Indian all-rounders are also on the rise, with Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami climbing to 11th and 13th, respectively, thanks to their performances against England. Afghanistan's Mohammad Nabi retains a slim lead at the top of the all-rounder rankings, while New Zealand's Mitchell Santner is among week's notable risers, moving up to seventh.

This period of intense competition and movement in rankings is underscored by recent test series outcomes, including Australia’s victory over Sri Lanka and Ireland’s win against Zimbabwe.