Former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron showered praise on Shubman Gill after the Indian captain scored an impressive knock of 114 runs on the opening day of the second Test match against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Wednesday.

Aaron also likened Gill with Virat Kohli and said he always knew he is somebody like the former Indian skipper. 

Gill has looked compact in his technique on the England tour and he has been batting at the top of his game. The Indian captain had a control percentage of 96 in his seventh Test century.

Varun Aaron said on ESPN Cricinfo, “I always knew he (Gill) is somebody like Virat Kohli, who would just up the ante the moment you give him responsibility, and this is what he is showing.”

Aaron said Gill has the skills to become a very big player for India in the coming years.

“Gill has what it takes to be a very big player for India in the days to come. He is already the captain of the Indian Test team. He’s showing what he can do with responsibility, or what responsibility can do for him. With that first knock which he played in the first game, again backing it up with another century, these are just statement knocks.” he added.

Meanwhile, Gill matched Virat Kohli’s record of scoring consecutive centuries in his first two Test matches as Indian captain. Earlier, Vijay Hazare and Sunil Gavaskar had also achieved the same feat.

India ended the opening day’s play at 310-5. The visitors were in a spot of bother at 211-5 after they had lost wickets of vice-captain Rishabh Pant and Nitish Kumar Reddy in quick succession. 

Gill would look to get a big score on the second day to put India in front.