Shubman Gill’s consistency combined with the desire to play in all formats puts him in a good position to face the ultimate challenge – Test cricket. After complimenting Rohit Sharma in ODIs, can Gill sync with the India captain in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy?
In Short
- Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma have opened in 7 Tests
- Gill opened with Rohit in two Tests against Australia in 2021
- Hardik said that Gill can switch himself to play all formats
PosterGuy: “The Future Is Here.”
Virat Kohli echoed the cricketing community’s verdict on Shubman Gill. At the age of just 23, Gill is going from strength to strength with his consistent performances across formats.
Glimpses of it were on offer in 2022 but as this year is unfolding, Gill has started to own the centre stage. It all commenced on the eve of the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka when India captain Rohit Sharma made it clear that Gill will be his opening partnership instead of double-centurion Ishan Kishan. From thereon, there has been no looking back as Gill exceeded the expectations of the management.
In his first outing alongside Rohit, Gill lit up Guwahati with his 70. He bettered the score in the third match, hitting his maiden ODI hundred in India and finishing the series as the second-highest run-scorer (207 runs), behind Virat Kohli (283 runs). His outings ensured that he would retain his place in the following ODI series against New Zealand, diminishing the chances of Shikhar Dhawan to return and Kishan to play as an opener.
GILL BECOMES UNSTOPPABLE
The Punjab-born batter upped his game against New Zealand, becoming the fifth Indian to hit a double ODI hundred after Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, and Ishan Kishan. Gill finished the series as the highest run-getter (360) as he added another hundred in the third match to help India clean sweep the ODIs 3-0 against New Zealand.
Gill, who is trying to establish himself at the international level, completed the set in the recent T20Is. The right-hander smashed his maiden and record-breaking T20I hundred to become the only fifth Indian to have centuries in all formats.
With his 126 not out in the third T20I, Gill surpassed Virat Kohli (122*) to register the highest individual score in the shortest format. Gill (23 years and 146 days) also became the youngest player to hit a hundred for India in T20Is, leapfrogging Suresh Raina achieved the feat at the age of 23 years and 156 days.
While everything looks on track for Gill in the 50-over World Cup year, the India opener declared that he would be “happy to play all three formats” as he does not feel “any kind of fatigue” while representing the country.
GILL-ROHIT IN TESTS
Gill’s determination combined with the desire to play all formats puts him in a good position to face the ultimate challenge – Test cricket. With India set to host Australia in the forthcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy for four Tests, the question arises will he get the opportunity to open the innings with Rohit?
The two have opened together in Test cricket during the tour of Australia 2020-21. Gill and Rohit paired up for the first time in the second Test in Sydney. The two turned out to be an instant match as they complimented each other’s game by staying in the middle for more than 20 overs in both innings.
However, in the third Test in Brisbane, the pair got separated early on in both innings. The only positive out of it was Gill hitting 91 before Rishabh Pant’s 89* guiding India to a historic victory at the Gabba. Rohit and Gill continued to open the innings for India up till June 2021, which covered 4 Tests against England and one in the backyard of New Zealand, but it also saw a string of poor runs for Gill.
However, he played five more Tests but with different opening partners – Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, and KL Rahul. Gill then hit his maiden Test hundred against Bangladesh in December last year. The knock kept his hopes alive of staying in the Test scheme of things.
On the back of his century, Gill found a place in India’s first two squads for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In fact, Hardik Pandya recently said “it is just a switch he (Gill) needs to do to play T20I, ODI, and Test cricket because he has the game for all formats”.
Despite the odds and Rohit’s absence due to injuries, the pair is shaping well this year and complimenting each other effortlessly in the ODIs. It is only time that the two sync at the top of the order against Australia.