Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra hailed Shubman Gill after he scored a match-winning century in the Champions Trophy clash against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Thursday.
India was chasing a tricky target of 229 runs and Gill played a key role in the run-chase, scoring an unbeaten 101 off 129 balls to help his team register a six-wicket win. Gill scored nine fours and two sixes in his brilliant knock as he played a mature knock on a wicket, which got difficult to bat on as the match progressed.
This was the eighth ODI century for the Indian vice-captain as he continued his rich form in the 50-over version.
“Was this Gill’s best ODI innings? This was his eighth century but his first in an ICC event, and ICC centuries are different because the pressure is different. I think this is his best ODI hundred, although he has scored a double century as well,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
“We call him prince but he is no lesser than the king. He understands the template of ODI cricket so well. ODI cricket doesn’t happen that much. However, if he plays say 250 matches, he will finish as one of the greatest ODI batters ever. This century was definitely the best of his career. Considering the potential he has, especially from the ODI cricket perspective, the sky is the limit,” Chopra added.
Chopra noted that Gill kept his ego aside as he played a second-fiddle role at the beginning and also took India over the line.
“This knock was important as wickets were falling from the other end. It seemed like it might be a very easy run chase, but the job had become difficult. He kept his ego aside. Rohit Sharma was hitting fours one after the other but the guy was playing steadily because the big picture says the real hero is the one who wins the game,” he said.
The reputed commentator hailed Gill for finishing the game for India and batting till the end.
“Anyone can be a showstopper but the show belongs to the one who wins in the end. He stood in the middle till the end. He first played second fiddle to Rohit Sharma. He knows extremely well how to drive the game forward. The ones who repeatedly put stars against their name become superstars,” Chopra observed.
India will next take on arch-rivals Pakistan at Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai on Sunday.
