Gary Kirsten, the mentor of Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, has backed Shubman Gill to successfully play across all three formats for India in the coming years after the right-handed batter produced some scintillating performances in the tournament.
The 23-year-old was the leading run-scorer in the competition, with 890 runs in 17 innings at an average of 59.3 and a strike rate of 157.8. Working closely with him during his stint with the Titans for two months, Kirsten believes Gill has all the qualities to become the best player in the world.
"He is a young player who has incredible skill and determination to be one of the best players in the world. It would be unfair to compare him to Sachin and Virat so early in his journey," he said in a conversation with Cricbuzz.
"I believe he has the game to successfully play across all three formats for India. You don't often see that these days, particularly as T20 cricket is developing and progressing so fast," he added.
The 55-year-old also shared insights on what makes Gill special and stated his work ethic sets him apart. "First, his confidence and self-belief in knowing what he is capable of. Second is his work ethic and professionalism around how he prepares for the games,"
"And finally, his game sense and how he puts a performance together with his skill sets. This season, he showed a fantastic understanding of his strengths and how to use them at the right time in every match."
"He is one of the few players in the world who has proved that he can be equally effective across all three formats. He has got the technique to deal with the best bowling in the world. He plays equally well off the front and back foot, and he can score quickly when needed," he added.
Kirsten also felt that Gill can be potentially groomed as the future leader for the Indian side as well as the Titans due to his understanding of the game.
"Shubman has all the credentials to become a great player for India across all the formats. Like any player, he will be met with challenges and obstacles; how he handles those and keeps progressing will ultimately determine his long-term success."
"I would encourage him to keep learning and to engage with those who can offer him trusted counsel. I think he has the potential to become a leader. He has a good knowledge and understanding of the game and gets on well with his teammates," he concluded.
After a record-breaking IPL, Gill will be in action as part of the Indian team that will lock horns against Australia in the summit clash of the World Test Championship on June 7 at the Oval.