The right-handed batsman’s transformation from KKR to GT has been remarkable, and he reached his first IPL century. If you can’t change the man, change the guy.
That famous quote was made popular in cricket by Brendon McCullum, the head coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders at the time, toward the end of their disappointing 2021 season.
Many believed it was directed at their young opener Shubman Gill because of his lack of intent on the powerplay, despite the fiery Kiwi coach not naming any specific players.
KKR didn’t hold Gill in front of the Uber closeout. He was signed by Gujarat Titans, newcomers to the Indian Premier League, and the new relationship has been transformative for the player, the franchise, and Indian cricket.
At Ahmedabad’s Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday, Gill scored his first IPL hundred in 58 balls at a strike rate of 174.
It is his sixth century of the year, scoring one in Test cricket, and three in One-Day Internationals (ODIs), including his first T20I century.
Bowlers be cautioned. Subsequent to falling six runs shy of 100 last week. Gill had communicated certainty that he had enough matches in the season to set things right. He got there quickly.
When KKR signed the stylish batter from Punjab in 2018 for 1.8 crore rupees. They made the decision to make an investment in the future.
Gill, a player who made a lot of runs in age-group cricket. Had just won the player-of-the-tournament award at the India U19 World Cup. He was impressive in his first IPL season, scoring 203 runs at a strike rate of 146 in 13 matches.
In any case, Gill was undoubtedly not a completed item then. He didn’t always feel at home with KKR’s extremely aggressive play style in subsequent seasons.
In KKR’s purple, Gill batted from No. 1 to 7, and his record of 58 matches.
1414 runs, an average of 31.49, and a strike rate of 123 was not at all indicative of him being Indian cricket’s next big batting hope.
Gill has opened in all 29 GT matches over the past two seasons. Scoring 1059 runs at an average of 40.79 and an SR of 139.53. He’s second in the current year’s orange cap race with his 576 runs.
It is challenging to pinpoint the precise causes of Gill’s failure at KKR. However, considering what the player has had the option to accomplish. Thusly shows his past group didn’t have the persistence to allow him to develop as a T20 force.
“Everyone believes that everyone should hit at least 200 while being dependable in every game you play. In essence, you want to go there.
Within those constraints, you try to determine what suits your game the best and work out how to include that in your lineup.
After signing Gill, Gujarat Titans Director of Cricket Vikram Solanki stated, “We think he is a real talent.”
Gill is repaying the faith by becoming a fixture for India across all formats now. The fastest time a batter has ever batted without a six was when he hit 22 balls to score his first fifty of his hundred runs versus SRH.
That is not surprising. His 62 fours in IPL 2023 are the second most – after Yashasvi Jaiswal – of all hitters.
Authority over situation and timing, not power-hitting is the center of his game. At GT, the coaches have allowed it to flourish.
Gill has practiced hitting sixes in white-ball cricket. He has already hit 14 sixes this season, more than any other IPL season before it.
Nine sixes were part of his ODI double hundred against New Zealand in Hyderabad earlier this year. In any case, seldom does Gill trudge.
The rise he gets is thanks to a powerful mixed drink of equilibrium and a superb bat swing.
There are regions in his T20 game to be tended to. In order for Gill to score his first IPL hundred.
He would have preferred not to slow down. There will be days when a most magnificent Gill inning will be forgotten in a T20 match with six hits and runs.
However, on more days than not, Gill demonstrates that he can manage the configuration with his flawless shot choice. He is attracting hundreds of admirers in this way.