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Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has lauded Shubman Gill for his brilliant knock in India's seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in a rain-shortened contest of 25 overs in the first ODI at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala.
Chasing a total of 195 after Rahmanullah Gurbaz's magnificent century, the Indian skipper anchored the chase, scoring a brilliant 84 off just 66 balls and remaining unbeaten to take his team home. Chopra praised the batter for his seamless transition across formats, coming off the back
of centuries in Qualifier 2 of the IPL and the one-off Test against Afghanistan. Gill's innings consisted of 11 fours and two sixes, with Chopra commending him for dominating the bowlers.
"Shubman Gill, what a player. He seamlessly switches across formats. He scores runs with great authority. Prince is no longer written on his bat, supreme has been written. Shubman Gill is telling us once again that he is special. He scored a century in Qualifier 2 in a T20 and then a hundred in a Test. It wasn't a hundred here, but it was no less than that. He is batting beautifully, almost like a dream. He hit a cover drive. Just watch that shot and clap. That was pure class. That was his first scoring shot, and he kept hitting after that. Asserting and dominating, he looks good," Chopra said, speaking on his YouTube channel.
Chopra further praised KL Rahul for his vital contribution to the innings. Rahul scored an unbeaten 19-ball 39 in the back end along with Gill, stitching a 53-run stand for the fourth wicket. With Rahul also coming off a century in the one-off Test match, Chopra lauded his seamless transition across formats in completely different roles.
"Ishan Kishan played an important knock, and that partnership was very important. Then KL Rahul comes and tells you that this is called versatility. He scored 152 runs as an opener in the IPL, scored a hundred while defending continuously in Test cricket, and he did that in the middle order, actually as a finisher, here. What a guy, and there was one over where he decided that it was enough, and that he had made up his mind to finish the match in that Ziaur Rahman over, and he does it in style. He hit two sixes, and he makes batting look so easy, but it is not easy," Chopra observed.
India has notched up a 1-0 lead in the series and will head to Lucknow for the second ODI set to be played on June 17 at the BRSABV Ekana Stadium.
