Shubman Gill scored a double ton in 1st ODI vs New Zealand© AFP
Shubman Gill has been impressive, to say the least, with his recent outings. Among his list of admirers is the great Sunil Gavaskar too. Gill recently became the eighth batter to score a double ton in the ODI format. He 208 against New Zealand in the first ODI. Currently, the 23-year-old averages an astounding 71.38 in ODIs after playing 20 games. He has reached the triple-figure mark thrice in the 50-over format. Even in the second ODI on Sunday, Gill stayed unbeaten on 40 to ensure that India go past the 109-run target set by New Zealand without any hiccups.
After the match, Gill had a fun chat with Gavaskar. “I have given you a new nickname, Smoothman Gill. I hope you don’t mind,” Sunil Gavaskar during an interview after India’s win in the second ODI against New Zealand in Raipur on Saturday.
Gill replied, “I don’t mind at all, sir.”
In the first ODI against New Zealand, Gill also completed 1000 runs in just 19 innings. He is the fastest Indian to reach the mark, surpassing Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan – both of whom scored 1000 runs in the format in 24 innings.
Gill is also now the joint second-fastest ever to score 1000 runs along with Pakistan’s Imam-ul-Haq. In completing 1000 runs in 19 innings, Gill surpassed the likes of Viv Richards, Babar Azam, Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Quinton de Kock and Rassie van der Dussen – all of whom scored 1000 ODI runs in 21 innings. Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman (18 innings) is the fastest to 1000 runs in ODIs.
Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has also praised Gill’s batting. “I became a big fan of Shubman Gill ever-since I saw him playing in the Test championship final against New Zealand. His elegance and style in his strokes are really commendable. The only concern I had was that why isn’t he able to achieve a big score. But he played a very different kind of cricket yesterday. Very less people have such type of finish in their style at such a young age. I think he is one of his kind. I am not saying that he has achieved everything in his career but if he continues to play like this and work hard then he will be on the path where he will achieve greatness,” Butt said on his YouTube channel.
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