Champions Trophy: Stage set for Gill, Ravindra to steal the limelight

A match-winning innings for either of them, in their first ICC Champions Trophy summit clash on Sunday, could take their careers to an unparalleled high

Dubai: When India and New Zealand faced off in a Champions Trophy final for the first time in 2000, Shubman Gill and Rachin Ravindra were just about learning to crawl. It was that far ago. But with the passing of time, they have developed into the finest young batters in the world — now 25, they are in their prime and what better way to prove that than by winning an ICC trophy.

Shubman Gill in action during the ongoing Champions Trophy in Dubai. (AFP)

A match-winning innings for either of them,

Future stars

Rachin could prove to be a key player for New Zealand to counter India’s spin threat. Particularly, with India having a couple of left-arm finger spinners in their line-up. Rachin’s early dismissal in the league match against India denied the Kiwis of the batting control they were after in the middle overs. Rachin, being an excellent player of spin, could have provided that.

Gill would have tracked Rachin’s progress. Peer group competition always exists, particularly when both are seen as the game’s next batting greats.

Gill came to the tournament after a prolific run in the ODI series against England. Here too, he began with a hundred against Bangladesh. But his last two innings have produced low scores. He would know the importance of scoring when the world is tuned in and what better game to do that in than a final.

For Gill, New Zealand may not have the big-name spinners but they are skillful bowlers who know how to get the job done. But since there is no one that they extensively use in the Powerplay, Gill will have a start over them. If Gill could get his timing right against the Kiwi quicks, he could take himself and the team off to a flyer in the final. Having the aggressive Rohit Sharma as opening partner makes his task a touch easier too.

The point of difference between Kiwi quicks and the Indians is that a lot of them come with a higher release point. This early battle between Gill-Rohit and New Zealand fast bowlers could come down to the nature of the Dubai pitch – the India-NZ league match offered some seam and swing assistance in the first innings and took spin in the second. Having been tricked by Matt Henry’s incoming delivery in the last match, Gill would want to make amends.

“Shubman can adapt to the situation so well. His game is such that he can be good with rotating the strike to take the game deep and play the attacking way, if required. With the balanced approach he has, he is brilliant,” said Sitanshu Kotak, Indian batting coach. “From the time I started coaching India A in 2019, I saw Shubman play four series before he started playing for India. It’s great to see him from then to where he is now.”

Now the vice-captain, Gill has freshly inked a lucrative bat sponsorship deal and sports the same sticker on his willow as Kohli. Like with strikers in football, batters are the poster boys. It’s a matter of striking when the iron is hot.