Shubman Gill receives noteworthy ‘I don't just say, I do it as well’ praise ahead of blockbuster IPL 2023 finale

Shubman Gill is hailed as the “next big thing” in Indian cricket.

A day after rain played spoilsport, the IPL 2023 will finally come to a close on Monday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings are all set to lock horns against Hardik Pandya's Gujarat Titans. Chennai are in hunt for their fifth IPL crown, which will take them on level terms with Mumbai Indians. Gujarat, on the other hand, will look to expand their legacy by successfully defend their title.

Gujarat Titans player Shubman Gill(PTI)

However, the course of the match can be decided with just one factor and that is Shubman Gill's performance. The youngster, who is hailed as the “next big thing” in Indian cricket, has been enjoying imperious form and currently holds the Orange Cap. Not one but Gill has notched three tons in the ongoing season and has accumulated a staggering 851 runs from 16 outings at a strike-rate of 156.43.

Many former and active cricketers have already hailed Gill's scintillating show at the tournament and former Kolkata Knight Riders batter Manoj Tiwary too expressed similar feelings. While he expects Gill to be Gujarat's trump card in the finale, he also highlighted how confidence the opener has shown during the course of the tournament.

In an interaction with Cricbuzz, the ex-KKR batter recalled Gill's words when he returned unbeaten on 94 in a league stage clash against Lucknow Super Giants. Then Gill was asked about missing his ton despite being so close, to which the batter had responded: “It (the hundred) was on my mind in the last over, till the fourth ball where I could not get the boundary, but we have five more games and I will get my chance.”

Recalling what Gill had said, Tiwary said he is one of the few cricketers who lives up to his words. "The way Shubman Gill batted in the last three-four innings, he slammed three tons, that too after stating he'll slam a century. There are so many players who say a lot of things but they fail to live up to their words. If you remember he was asked after returning unbeaten on 94 that you could have kept the strike and scored your century. However, he had then said that I have four or five innings to bat more and I'll score 100 in them.

“You can see since making that statement he has scored three 100s and showed main sirf kehtha hi nahi, kar k bhi dikhata huu (I don't just say, I do it as well).”