Gill will be a superstar in both international and franchise cricket: Hardik Pandya

Shubman Gill has been long earmarked for great things, but even his most ardent fan wouldn’t have dreamt of the youngster having the kind of year he’s had so far. 

Gill struck his maiden ODI ton in Thiruvananthapuram against Sri Lanka in January, and he’s since struck seven more tons across competitions, including a double-ton in ODI cricket against New Zealand and a ton in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia.

The latest of those eight tons came in Ahmedabad on Friday as the 23-year-old played his best IPL knock, yet, to propel his side Gujarat Titans into the final for the second year in a row.

Hardik Pandya, GT skipper, was full of praise for Gill, and asserted that the youngster is destined to become a cricketing superstar.

“He will be a superstar in international and franchise cricket,” Pandya said at the post-match presentation.

Pandya described Gill’s innings on Friday as one of the youngster’s finest knocks, and claimed that, at times, it felt like Gill was having a net session. On the night, Gill finished with 129 off just 60 balls, an innings that single-handedly downed Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2.

“I think the clarity and confidence he is carrying is amazing,” Pandya said of Gill.

“Today's innings was one of the finest, he never looked rushed. It felt like someone was throwing balls and he was hitting.”

GT’s MVP with the bat showed up against MI, so did their MVP with the ball. Rashid Khan, the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition, was tasked with defending the humongous target and he delivered big time, taking out a rampant Tilak Varma (43 off 14) before removing the dangerous Tim David in his final over. 

Pandya showered praise on the main man.

“Rashid has been amazing, especially when we've not been in a commanding position,” the GT skipper said.

“I think we've spoken enough about him. He's been the man I can rely on when the team is in a tough situation.”

Many termed GT’s triumph in 2022 a ‘one-off’ and a ‘fluke’, but they’ve proven every single one of their critics wrong by making it to the final twice in two years. And with a win on Sunday, they’ll become the first team in IPL history to have won two titles in its first two years.

It won’t be easy against Chennai Super Kings, but skipper Pandya believes his side are capable of going all the way.

“We have to play good cricket, put in our 100%. Knockouts could go either way, but very excited for the final.”