NEW DELHI: In-form Shubman Gill etched his name in the record books with a composed, unbeaten 101 as India secured a six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their ICC Champions Trophy opener on Thursday. His well-paced knock anchored India’s chase of a challenging 229-run target, guiding the team to victory with 21 balls to spare.

The 25-year-old vice-captain continued his stellar form, reaching his eighth ODI century in just 51 innings—making him the fastest Indian to achieve this milestone. He surpassed Shikhar Dhawan’s previous record of 57 innings, with Virat Kohli (68 innings), Gautam Gambhir (98 innings), and Sachin Tendulkar (111 innings) following on the list.

"Scoring my first century in an ICC event has been incredibly fulfilling, and this innings ranks among my most satisfying performances," Gill remarked after being named Man of the Match. "I’m truly happy with my performance."

India’s captain Rohit Sharma praised Gill’s consistency and temperament, stating, “We all know the class he possesses; this shouldn’t surprise anyone. His determination to finish the game was genuinely inspiring.

Fastest to Eight ODI Centuries for India:

• 51 - Shubman Gill
• 57 - Shikhar Dhawan
• 68 - Virat Kohli
• 98 - Gautam Gambhir
• 111 - Sachin Tendulkar

Since making his ODI debut in 2019, Gill has amassed 2,688 runs in 51 matches at an outstanding average of 62.51, with a strike rate of 100.78. In addition to his eight centuries, he has registered 15 half-centuries, further solidifying his reputation as one of India’s most promising batters.

Interestingly, Gill’s century against Bangladesh was his slowest in ODIs, taking 125 balls to reach the landmark. However, his patient and calculated approach proved crucial in steering India to victory on a testing pitch.

Having recently clinched the Player of the Series award in India’s 3-0 triumph over England—where he scored 259 runs—Gill’s red-hot form bodes well for India as they continue their pursuit of Champions Trophy glory.