“Castaway” is a person who survives after a ship sinks. If anyone can be given that adjective that is Shubman Gill. As suggested by Sunil Gavaskar India was trying it bench strength today in the fourth ODI at Hamilton, home ground of the KIWI helmsman. The pitch was little more bowling oriented in comparison of last three games and the India team trembled leading to an all-out on 92, their seventh lowest ODI total ( that too owing around half of the runs to tail-enders.). It was easily chased by New Zealand for loss of only two wickets with Trent Boult becoming the man of the match owing to his five-wicket hall, where most of his deliveries were at the good length unlike other matches when New Zealand was bowling more towards the back.
Everyone was hoping miracles from the new stalwart Shubhman Gill but he could score a mere 9 out of 21 balls. Yet he has filled in a sense of security in the minds of Indians by harbingering his strong techniques in a short stint. He took guard one down with Rohit Sharma and has scored 0 out of 5 balls when Rohit got out leaving the team in a little mess.
After that, he scored a boundary in the next over followed by another good drive that didn’t carry away to the fence. He played in a very elegant way especially against Boult who was creating trouble for everyone today. The best part was when he continued to play on the rise immediately after a short delivery hit his forehead. It shows one of the greatest qualities that batsmen could have ie forgetting the odds that happened on the last ball and continue afresh.
Provided it was his first game his he stayed on the pitch for the second highest number of deliveries amongst top 8 batsmen, with third highest strike rate and scored third highest runs. His shots had class, his batting had the temperament and to sum up, all he will be a major asset for this much-revered game in India. This is the time we also have a look at his domestic and international carrier so far.
DOMESTIC CAREER- Gill made his List A debut in 2017 in Vijay Hazare trophy for Punjab and first-class debut for Punjab in Ranji trophy during later part of the year. In January 2018, he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for 1.8 crores in the 2018 IPL auction. He made his Twenty20 debut for Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2018 Indian Premier League on 14 April 2018. In December 2018, during Punjab's match against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, Gill scored his maiden double century in first-class cricket, scoring 268 runs. In a match against Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy, Gill scored 148 off 154 balls to almost single-handedly take his side to victory.
INTERNATIONAL CAREER- He was inducted in the U19 series where India won the series against England. He was named as the vice-captain of the squad and India won the tournament. This tournament gave much advertisement to this young man who came out all guns blazing.
U 19 WORLD CUP- This tournament gave Gill the maximum mileage where he scored 372 runs in 6 innings with an average of 124 scoring 3 half centuries and 1 century (102 not out), becoming highest scorer from India and second in the tournament. Gill came out as a surprise when everyone was expecting fireworks from the captain Prithvi Shaw. Gill was awarded the player of the tournament.
