Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has heaped praise on Shubman Gill, saying the young India opener is going to be around playing international cricket, adding the Gujarat Titans star has improved his skills and figured out the means to shine in international cricket. Shastri lauded Gill for his recent exploits in ODI cricket and his performances in the ongoing tour of New Zealand.
Shastri said Gill stands out because of his work ethics, adding that the young batter is grounded despite the success he has tasted in the nascent stage of his career.
Gill has made good use of the opportunities that he has had in ODI cricket in 2022, scoring 625 runs, including a hundred and 4 fifties, in 11 matches. Gill hit a fifty in the 1st ODI in Auckland and 45 not out in the 2nd ODI, forging a fine partnership with Shikhar Dhawan at the top of the order.
Gill has put his hand up for the 2023 World Cup even as the competition for the top-order roles is intense. Gill will not be part of the ODI squad when the senior batters, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, return to the side for the tour of Bangladesh in December.
On the other hand, the young opener is also making his case for Test opener’s role, having chipped in whenever he has gotten an opportunity in whites.
“His emphasis today was in the timing of the ball. Sometimes when you are out of your depth, you want to get on with it by trying to hit the ball hard. He was in good control with good footwork. It is great to watch him play. There is something regal about him. He is a quality player and he’s going to be around for a long time(a decade’s time). He has good work ethics, he trains hard, he’s hungry and he loves this game. He will continue to play because his grooming is good, he is always grounded,” Ravi Shastri told Prime Video during India’s tour of New Zealand.
WHY NO T20Is YET FOR GILL?
Shastri acknowledged Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning form in white-ball cricket, lauding his evolution as a top-level batter and stressed that Gill also deserves credit for the way he has managed to keep himself in contention.
Gill is yet to make his T20I debut for India but Shastri said he is able to understand that the team management has not given the Punjab opener an opportunity in the shortest format of the game.
“Shubhman’s strike rate has improved in international cricket. He is averaging a healthy 70 plus in international cricket so, you are looking at a player who is developing.
“I was listening to Ajit Agarkar earlier on the show and he said, ‘we have quality here and while Suryakumar Yadav was going the way he does, but let’s not forget Gill, because he has found how he wants to play in international cricket. In T20s, probably I can now understand why India team doesn’t want to give him an opportunity right now. Let him become a more traditional player of ODIs and Test match level as well but T20I is a game he is very close to,” he added.
