'It's like bowling to Sachin Tendulkar...': Wasim Akram's cracking take on Team India's 'future captain'

Legendary Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram was all praise for the Indian star.

Drawing a parallel between Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar and youngster Shubman Gill, legendary Pakistani cricketer Wasim Akram has hailed the India opener as the future star of Indian cricket. After a blockbuster season in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with runners-up Gujarat Titans (GT), opener Gill is set to spearhead India's formidable top-order against Pat Cummins' Australia in the final of the ICC World Test Championship.

Giving Tendulkar a special mention, Wasim Akram praised the Indian star for his batting style(Getty Images)

Opener Gill propelled Hardik Pandya and Co. to the final of the IPL 2023 by smashing a sensational century against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Qualifier 2. Gill had also notched up a brilliant century against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) which handed the Virat Kohli-starrer side a premature exit from IPL 2023. Talking about the in-form batter ahead of the World Test Championship final between India and Australia, former Pakistan skipper Akram opted to draw striking similarities between the GT batter and batting icon Tendulkar.

“When I bowl to a player like Gill, even in T20 format, it's like I am bowling to Sachin Tendulkar in one-day cricket in the first 10 overs, when only two fielders were allowed (outside the 30-yard circle). If I had to bowl to Jayasuriya or Kaluwitharna, I knew I had a chance. I can get them out as they hit on every ball. But, players like Sachin and Gill, they play proper cricketing shots. I think he is the kind of player who can score in all three formats consistently. He is a future superstar of world cricket,” Akram told Sportskeeda.

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener Gill smashed 890 runs for Gujarat Titans in the previous edition of the cash-rich league. The Indian opener slammed four half-centuries and three hundreds in the IPL 2023. Questioning KKR's decision to release Gill, the former KKR bowling coach also asserted that the GT star is a future captaincy candidate in the Indian team. "His basics are good. I don't understand how his previous IPL franchise released him. Not realising his potential, not realising he can be the future captain not just for his franchise but perhaps eventually for India too. And not realising that this guy is going to win them tournament, not just games," Akram added.