While being interviewed on camera, Shubman Gill posed the problematic choice between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.
With the One-Day International World Cup taking place in India in a matter of months, the Indian cricket team would hope to benefit from Shubman Gill’s recent form. The youthful opener struck 112 against New Zealand in Indore on Tuesday, his fourth ODI century in 21 matches. Currently, in 50-over games, he is averaging 73.76. By reaching 112 in the Indore match, Gill tied the record set by Pakistan skipper Babar Azam for the joint-most runs (360) scored in a three-game ODI series. Gill has much material in Test matches as well.
Shubman was asked to pick between Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli in a video interview that aired on Star Sports on Tuesday. In response, 23-year-old Shubman said: “Since my father is a major Sachin fan, he was the one who inspired me to take up cricket. However, I give credit to Virat Bhai. I was too young to appreciate cricket when he hung up his boots. As someone who only recently began to grasp the fundamentals of cricket, I would have to say Virat bhai, from whom I have gleaned invaluable lessons in batting.”
As for the third one-day international, Rohit Sharma made his first ODI century in three years, and Shubman Gill kept up his explosive form to lead India to 385 for nine. After Rohit (101 off 85 balls) reached triple digits for the first time since January 2020, the pair put up a brisk 212-run opening stand. Gill scored his fourth one-day international century (112 off 78).
On the eve of the game, Rahul Dravid remarked that the batter-friendly circumstances in Indore make bowlers reluctant to bowl immediately. Certainly, the batting legend was on to something there. Despite being on the run, the New Zealand batting lineup had a good time, with Devon Conway scoring a century.
