"Would be unfair to compare him to Sachin and Virat so early" - GT mentor Gary Kirsten on Shubman Gill
Gujarat Titans (GT) mentor Gary Kirsten hailed opening batter Shubman Gill after the 23-year-old put on a scintillating batting display in the recently concluded IPL season.
Gill won the Orange Cap for his astonishing season with the bat, scoring 890 runs at an average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 157.80 in 17 matches.
The young sensation was instrumental in GT qualifying for their second consecutive final.
Speaking to Cricbuzz in a recent interview, Kirsten felt that comparisons to Indian legends Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli are premature.
"He is a young player who has incredible skill and determination to be one of the best players in the world. It would be unfair to compare him to Sachin and Virat so early in his journey. I believe he has the game to successfully play across all three formats for India. You don't often see that, these days, particularly as T20 cricket is developing and progressing so fast," said Kirsten.
Kirsten also praised Gill's ability to evolve and take his game to a higher level this year and not resting on his laurels. He pointed out various aspects of the youngster's game that have evolved from a year ago.
"First, his confidence and self- belief in knowing what he is capable of. Second is his work ethic and professionalism around how he prepares for the games. And finally, his game sense and how he puts a performance together with his skill sets. This season, he showed a fantastic understanding of his strengths and how to use them at the right time in every match," added Kirsten.
In the recent IPL season, Gill had a stretch of three centuries in four games, including a sensational 129 off 60 deliveries in Qualifier 2 against the Mumbai Indians (MI).
"He has got the technique to deal with the best bowling in the world" - Gary Kirsten on Shubman Gill's batting across formats
Gary Kirsten also spoke highly of Shubman Gill as one of the few players in world cricket with the ability to adapt his game to all three formats of the sport.
Shubman Gill has also been in red-hot form for Team India in 2023, scoring close to 1000 runs at an average of over 60 with five centuries across formats.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Kirsten explained:
"He is one of a few players in the world, currently, who has proved [that] he can be equally effective across all three formats. He has got the technique to deal with the best bowling in the world. He plays equally well off the front and back foot and he can score quickly when needed.
"Shubman has all the credentials to become a great player for India, across all the formats. Like any player, he will be met with challenges and obstacles; how he handles those and keeps progressing will ultimately determine his long-term success. I would encourage him to keep learning and to engage with those who can offer him trusted counsel."
The former South African opener concluded by saying that the 23-year-old has the potential to become a captain in the future.
"I think he has the potential to become a leader. He has a good knowledge and understanding of the game and he gets on well with his teammates."
Shubman Gill scored his maiden Test century in the final game of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in Ahmedabad.
India will be hopeful of Gill continuing his impeccable form in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia at the Oval, beginning on June 7.