Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra feels Shubman Gill was able to match the domination we witnessed from Virat Kohli in IPL 2016. Kohli scored a mammoth 973 runs in IPL 2016, including four centuries, and played a key role in taking RCB to the final of the season.
On the other hand, Gill amassed 890 runs in 17 matches of IPL 2023 at an average of 59.33 and an impressive strike rate of 157.80 to finish as the leading run-getter of the tournament and bagged the Orange Cap.
Ergo, he fell 83 runs short of matching Kohli’s unbelievable run in 2016. The youngster scored a total of three centuries and played a key role in Gujarat Titans’ success.
The 23-year-old gave solid starts to his team along with Wriddhiman Saha and impressed with his game throughout the 16th edition of the IPL.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “Gill is absolutely thrilling. The last season was good but this was a wow season. He used to be called prince earlier, but he is no longer a prince, this was a proper king-type season. The domination we saw from Virat Kohli in 2016, this was that kind of a season.”
The renowned commentator showered praise on Gill for scoring a magnificent century in the second qualifier against Mumbai Indians. Gill played one of the best knocks of the tournament as he smashed 129 runs off just 60 balls and helped his team win by a huge margin of 62 runs.
“He just kept growing. In fact, that innings against Mumbai, it was like a man possessed, that he cannot do anything wrong now. He was telling people where to bowl. The Narendra Modi Stadium is a huge stadium and the guy hit sixes there,” Chopra elaborated.
The former KKR player also questioned the franchise for letting go of a player like Shubman Gill. The youngster was drafted by Gujarat Titans for INR 8 crores ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction after KKR released him.
“Kolkata let him go. In the options they had there, they retained Venkatesh Iyer. Nothing against Venkatesh Iyer, but it is very important at which stage you pick a player and when you leave him. Both things define how your future and present will be. You don’t get a player like him and you let him go,” Chopra said.
Gill will be looking to carry the good show in the WTC final against Australia, which will be played at the Oval from June 7.
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