Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to Shubman Gill’s hundred in 1st IND vs BAN Test 2024 ft. Zaheer Khan
After a disappointing first innings where Shubman Gill was dismissed for a duck off eight balls, the Indian cricketer staged a stunning comeback by scoring a century in the second innings of the first Test in the two-match series against Bangladesh. The game took place at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Ravichandran Ashwin contributed with 113 runs, and Jasprit Bumrah's exceptional bowling helped India establish a 227-run lead in the first innings. In response, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant scored centuries in the second innings. Pant made 109 runs off 128 balls, while Gill remained unbeaten on 119 off 176 balls, hitting 10 fours and four sixes, marking his fifth century in Test cricket.
Chasing 515, the visitors were bundled out for 234, losing the game by 280 runs. Ashwin was the standout bowler for India, taking six wickets. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill has been receiving praise for his brilliant century.
In this article, we will look at the top five expert reactions to Shubman Gill’s hundred in the first Test between India and Bangladesh.
#1 Zaheer Khan
Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan praised the 25-year-old for his outstanding innings and believes that Gill has begun to settle into his new position at number three in Test cricket. In a conversation with Cricbuzz, he stated:
“When you talk about Shubman Gill, people have a lot of expectations for him. He’s doing well and scoring consistently in Test cricket. He must be aiming to chase the records of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. He made a change to his batting position, which initially led to a dip in his form, but now he’s settling in.”
“He faced pressure at the start of the series against England, but once he began scoring, he maintained that momentum. He is a crucial player in the transition of the Indian Test team, especially in the No. 3 position,” he added.
#2 Wasim Jaffer
Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer commended Gill for his outstanding performance with the bat, highlighting his impact at the number three position. He expressed his views in a post on X:
“Test hundred number 5 of many more to come. He’s making that important no.3 spot his own. Augurs well for India at the start of a long Test season. Well played @ShubmanGill.”
#3 Irfan Pathan
Irfan Pathan posted on the social media platform X, stating that Shubman Gill is a three-format player. He urged the young cricketer to keep turning his potential into significant innings, similar to his performance against Bangladesh.
“So good to see @Shubman Gill scoring a century. He is your three format player with huge potential to be next big thing in world cricket. He needs to keep converting his potential into performances like this. Well deserved hundred," wrote Pathan.
#4 Sanjay Manjrekar
Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar praised Shubman Gill for bouncing back to form after a dip in a few matches. In a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Sanjay had the following to say:
"His Test career went off the rails slightly. He started very well against Australia in Australia - got a 90. After that, he had a few opportunities against not-so-great oppositions in India and didn't quite cash in, didn't get the big scores, and then had the tough tours. South Africa is never easy and then came to India and failed in that Hyderabad Test.”
"It was like do or die, that Test match in Vizag. And that's where Shubman Gill showed a facet of his, which I will continue to remind myself of. The way he played in that innings and after that innings, not just the runs that he got, but the application that he showed, his hunger to make a name in Test cricket,” he added.
#5 Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar also took to X to commend the young player for how he paced his innings and reached his century. The Master Blaster also praised Rishabh Pant, who scored a brilliant hundred on his return to Test cricket after a year and a half. He wrote:
“Loved watching @ShubmanGill glide his way to a hundred. And @RishabhPant17, despite being away from the longer format for quite some time, looks as sharp as ever. Great to see both of them in such fine rhythm!
Meanwhile, the second Test between India and Bangladesh is set to start on September 27 in Kanpur.