In a trending clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, star Indian batsman Shubman Gill makes his World Cup debut after a remarkable recovery from illness. The 24-year-old Gill, renowned for his incredible prowess, takes the field against Pakistan, replacing Ishan Kishan in the XI, boosting India's formidable batting lineup. Captain Rohit Sharma expressed his elation at Gill's return to the team.
"Welcome back, Gill! It's unfortunate for Ishan to miss out; he stepped up when we needed him. Gill has been a special player for us, particularly at this ground. We wanted him back," stated Rohit Sharma during the toss.
Gill boasts a stunning batting average of 93 at the Ahmedabad venue. His remarkable track record at this ground poses a substantial threat to the Babar Azam-led Pakistan side if he finds his groove.
Earlier in the tournament, Gill's World Cup journey faced a setback due to a high fever that sidelined him for India's initial two games against Australia in Chennai and Afghanistan in New Delhi. Initial concerns suggested a possible case of dengue, which could have kept him out of action for an extended period, including today's pivotal match against Pakistan.
His hospitalization raised alarms among the Indian cricket community, but Gill's rapid recovery and presence in India's training sessions ahead of the Pakistan encounter have brought a sigh of relief. As the highest run-scorer for India in ODIs with 1230 runs in just 20 games, Gill is determined to leave no stone unturned when he takes the crease against Pakistan.
Winning the toss, Captain Rohit Sharma has opted to field first.
Playing XI:
India:
Rohit Sharma (c)
Shubman Gill
Virat Kohli
Shreyas Iyer
KL Rahul (w)
Hardik Pandya
Ravindra Jadeja
Shardul Thakur
Kuldeep Yadav
Jasprit Bumrah
Mohammed Siraj
Pakistan:
Abdullah Shafique
Imam-ul-Haq
Babar Azam (c)
Mohammad Rizwan (w)
Saud Shakeel
Iftikhar Ahmed
Shadab Khan
Mohammad Nawaz
Hasan Ali
Shaheen Afridi
Haris Rauf
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