Ever since Team India’s disappointing exit from the T20 World Cup 2022, the team has been going through a transitional phase, especially in the shortest format of the game. India’s ongoing tour of New Zealand is the first step towards their goal which is to win the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 and T20 World Cup 2024. While Hardik Pandya was seen leading the young team and ushering them into the next era in the shortest format of the game, on the other hand, several young players are being backed with more opportunities.
Among many, Shubman Gill is one such player who has impressed one and all with his recent performances. Shubman has been in some red-hot form while playing for the Indian national cricket team. while he scored 205 runs in the 3 ODI match series against West Indies, which included 2 half-centuries. He then amassed 245 runs in a 3-match series against Zimbabwe, during which he also registered his maiden century for Team India. Shubman Gill carried on his red-hot form in the ongoing series against New Zealand, where he smashed a 50 in the series opener and remained unbeaten on 45 in the next game.
Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Ashish Nehra, who has seen Shubman Gill’s growth very closely during the opener’s time at Gujarat Titans earlier this year during the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League, believes that the young opener is the leading contender to become India’s next full-time opener. While there are many emerging stars like Prithvi Shaw and Ruturaj Gaikwad, who are setting the domestic circuit on fire, waiting to play for the Indian side as openers, however, Nehra feels that Shubman Gill is the ideal choice for the role.
While speaking to Prime Video during the 2nd ODI between India and New Zealand in Hamilton that was washed out, Ashish Nehra said:
“Shubman Gill is one guy who is going to give you big hundreds in 50-overs and Test cricket. He is someone who plays according to the situation and conditions and that’s what he has been doing here as well. Before rain, he had a different mindset and after the break, when Suryakumar Yadav was batting gloriously, he (Gill) had a different mindset because he has all these gears. He is one of the shining lights. There are too many names – Prithvi Shaw, Ruturaj Gaikwad – but Shubman Gill is right up there and there is no doubt about that,”
