Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has compared Shubman Gill with Virat Kohli after India registered a four-wicket win against England at the Barabati Stadium, Cuttack on Sunday. Gill scored an impressive knock of 60 runs off 52 balls as he continued his rich form in the series.
The younster added 136 runs for the opening alliance with his captain Rohit Sharma, who also got back into form and scored a fine knock of 119 runs.
Meanwhile, Gill had also scored a match-winning knock of 87 runs off 96 balls in the opening game of the series.
In the second ODI, Gill played a second fiddle role as Rohit Sharma took an aggressive approach from the get-go. Gill scored nine fours and one six in his fine knock in the second game.
“Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli – I didn’t call them the prince and king, but let’s agree if people have said that. However, there is one thing, when you see Shubman Gill play or talk, if you close your eyes and think, you would say it must be Virat Kohli. I feel there is some DNA connection,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Chopra highlighted that Gill is the upgraded version of Virat Kohli in the ODI format.
“This guy is exactly like that and maybe an upgraded version. If you are an Apple user, he is the 18.3 version. It’s a new update released and he is like that. I think Saurabh Malhotra has tweeted and I totally agree with him that it’s unfortunate that Shubman Gill will not play as many ODIs as say Virat Kohli or Sachin Tendulkar have played,” he observed.
The renowned commentator noted that Gill doesn’t get rattled by opposition’s fast bowlers as he has all the calmness.
“Rohit was hitting at one end and he (Gill) was playing steadily. While doing that, he scored his runs and it was a 136-run opening partnership. He does his job. He did that in the last match and here as well. He gives calmness. The way he is playing pace, he doesn’t get rattled or rushed up no matter how fast you bowl,” he said.
Chopra questioned the team management for trying Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rohit’s opening partner in the first ODI.
“He has also started playing spin well now. So he is looking absolutely gold dust. However, it brings one more thing to notice. What were you doing? You were separating Rohit and Gill for the left-right combination. You were lucky that Yashasvi didn’t score runs. You were almost committing suicide,” Chopra elaborated.
The final and third ODI between India and England will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Wednesday.
