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Cricket Players‘Almost like Roger Federer…’: Ex-PAK captain's ultimate praise for Shubman Gill after his double ton in 1st ODI vs NZ
In the past, Gill has been criticised for his strike rate in white ball cricket and exhibition of class rather than power in his shots. But with every passing day, the sheer class and talent of the 23-year-old is getting revealed to the cricket fraternity.
Shubman Gill is on cloud nine after becoming the youngest batter to hit a double ton in ODIs on Wednesday. He reached the milestone against New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. His 208 off 149 balls helped Team India win the match by 12 runs and lead the series by 1-0. The right-handed batter also completed 1000 runs in the 50-over format and became the fastest Indian batter to reach the four-figure mark. In 19 ODIs, Gill has scored 1102 runs and averages an incredible 68.88 with three centuries to his name.
In the past, Gill has been criticised for his strike rate in white ball cricket and exhibition of class rather than power in his shots. But with every passing day, the sheer class and talent of the 23-year-old is getting revealed to the cricket fraternity. On his YouTube channel, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt was all praise for Gill after his double century knock. Butt highlighted the tremendous batting prowess of the Indian batter and called himself a fan of Gill.
"I have been a fan of Gill ever since he played in that World Test Championship final against New Zealand in England due to the time that he has and the elegance and the finish that he has in his strokes. You won't see many touch players like him in international cricket. There is talk of only power hitters everywhere these days," said Butt.
The former Pakistan cricketer compared Gill's elegant strokeplay to the playing style of tennis legend Roger Federer, highlighting how the Indian batter relies more on finesse and skill rather than power.
"This is a different kind of cricket that Gill is playing. It is almost like Roger Federer who plays his shots with incredible quality and touch. The finesse that Shubman Gill has shown in his game is very rare in players with such a young age. He is one of his kind and there is a glimpse of greatness," highlighted Butt.
"It was not just about his touch shots but also about the way he scored his runs despite all major batters getting out at the other end at regular intervals. The way he picked and chose his shots and the bowlers to target showed that his game has already developed to a greater extent," he added.
Meanwhile, Team India will play the second ODI against New Zealand on Saturday, January 21 at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.
