'All eyes will be on him': Harbhajan Singh predicts bright future for this 23-year-old Gujarat Titans player
There maybe a spree of Indian talents on show in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), but Harbhajan Singh has picked out this prodigiously talented right-hand batter to serve the country for a long time to come. The turbanator reckons Gujarat Titans (GT) have a real gem up their sleeves, someone who is going to dominate the international scene for the next decade or so.
You may have guessed the name by now. Yes, it is none other than the ever-elegant India and Punjab opener Shubman Gill, whose incredible rise at the top-level game continues as after striking the code through the previous season for India across formats, he has taken to the IPL 2023 like a fish to water for the defending champions.
After enjoying his most fruitful IPL campaign last summer for the Titans, Gill has picked up from where he left off, averaging 37.66 with a strike rate of 140.66 with 339 runs from nine innings in the ongoing edition of the premier T20 league. The 23-year-old has only taken his ball-striking to the next level with more experience, hammering 41 fours and 6 sixes in the season.
For Harbhajan, it's a sign that Shubman Gill is only taking his game upward with each outing, reinforcing himself as the future linchpin of Indian batting across Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
Harbhajan, Manjrekar rave over Shubman Gill
"All eyes will be on Shubman Gill for the next few years. He looks like a perfect timer of the cricket ball. He will play big innings and play for India in multiple formats. Performance for Gujarat Titans in IPL must have given him a lot of self-confidence," Harbhajan said on Star Sports' IPL special show 'Cricket Live'.
Fellow ex India cricketer and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar also applauded Gill for his magnificent rise and noted down the player's ability to avoid extra risks without compromising on the health of his scoring rate.
"When the spinners are in the attack, Shubman Gill stays at the wicket, and that has been good for Gujarat. He reads spinners well and doesn’t take extra risks," said Manjrekar in an assessment with which Harbhajan, being a lead spinner of his times, agreed.
"Gill is very comfortable against spinners. He is a master of this art. If the spinner forces Gill to come forward and play, then he does not get distracted. He takes his time and plays in his own style," he said.
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