"Opening batsmen can only break this record"- Ravi Shastri feels Shubman Gill can break Virat Kohli's unique record
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri feels Gujarat Titans (GT) star opener Shubman Gill can break Virat Kohli's record for the most runs in an IPL season. Kohli was simply incredible in IPL 2016, smashing 973 runs, including four centuries, and taking RCB to the final of the tournament.
Shastri reckons that only opening batters have an outside chance to break Kohli's record. According to him, if Gill can get on a roll and score big in 3-4 games, he will be in the race to break the longstanding record.
Speaking on Star Sports, here's what Ravi Shastri had to say about the possibility of Shubman Gill breaking Virat Kohli's record:
"I feel, it is Subhman Gill because he is in good form and also because he plays top of the order. The pitches are good, so if he can score 80-100 runs consecutively in two or three innings, then at that point of time only he will already have 300-400 runs."
"According to me, it is very difficult to break the record, because 900 plus runs is huge but one thing is opening batsmen will get two extra matches and two extra innings, so opening batsmen can only break this record if it is possible," Shastri added.
Ravi Shastri on Vijay Shankar's inclusion in India's 2019 World Cup squad
Ravi Shastri was India's head coach when Vijay Shankar was selected in the 2019 ODI World Cup squad. Quite a few eyebrows were raised as Shankar was picked ahead of Ambati Rayudu, who was the front-runner to make it to the squad for the No.4 slot.
However, Shastri tried to explain how the Men in Blue wanted a backup seam-bowling all-rounder ready just in case Hardik Pandya had an injury concern. He stated:
“In my opinion, the selectors thinking was such that, just like his innings that we have seen in this year’s IPL, that kind of innings plus his bowling is a big factor in his getting selected. He has the talent, he has worked hard to get back to his best, and you know, at that time even Hardik was facing a lot of injury issues, so India was looking for a player who could replace Hardik and give at least two or three overs to the team and bat well.”
Shankar had a dismal outing in the showpiece event, managing only 58 runs from three matches before an injury ruled him out of the competition.