Shubman Gill has often been touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket after Virat Kohli. While there is still a long way to go before the prediction comes true, the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 has witnessed an amazing coincidence with regards to the stats of the duo.
Both Kohli and Gill have played eight matches each for their respective franchises – Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT). Their numbers, as they stand now, are amazingly similar.
In eight matches, Kohli has scored 333 runs and so has Gill. The coincidence doesn’t end there. Both batters have registered one duck each. Gill was dismissed without scoring against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), while Kohli fell for a golden duck against the Rajasthan Royals (RR), trapped lbw by Trent Boult.
We are still not done. Both batters have faced 234 balls each in their eight matches so far. The unbelievable co-incidence ends with their strike rates, which are exactly the same – 142.31.
On the average front, the RCB batter boasts better numbers than his GT counterpart. Kohli averages 47.57 as of now and Gill 41.63. While the former has a highest score of 82*, the latter has registered a top score of 67. While Kohli also has five half-centuries to his credit, Gill has registered three.
“He has touch, class, and elegance” – Former Pakistan captain on Kohli-Gill comparison
A number of former cricketers and fans have compared Gill to Kohli following the youngster’s exploits in recent months. Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja is also impressed with Gill’s talent and temperament.
Sharing his views on his YouTube channel, he said earlier this month:
“He has so much potential, he has so much time. He looks so naturally beautiful when he plays. When he drives, there’s a curve on the shot. He has a lot of time to play his strokes. It doesn’t matter if he scores on the off side, on side, hook or pull, it’s just so beautiful and neat-and-clean.
“Many predict that he could be the next best batsman after Virat Kohli. He has touch, class, and elegance like Rohit Sharma. And his temperament is quite strong. From Tests, ODIs, and T20Is as well, he has tormented the bowlers. When you see him, it seems the time has stopped. At such a young age, he already has records. Sky is the limit for him.”
Overall, Gill has featured in 82 IPL games, scoring 2233 runs at an average of 33.33 and a strike rate of 127.53.