Shubman Gill on Wednesday became the eighth double centurion in ODI cricket as he scored 208 against New Zealand in Hyderabad. The 23-year-old Gill owned the stage and became the youngest batter to score a double hundred in ODI history. By doing so, he broke the record of Ishan Kishan. Gill, who was touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket ever since he displayed his talent in the 2018 U-19 World Cup, hammered 19 fours and nine sixes, six of them coming after his 150. The double century was also his second successive three digit score.
Former India captain and batting legend Sunil Gavaskar was highly impressed with the youngster.
“It was an unbelievable innings. Innings of a young man who seems to have a 35-year-old head on his shoulder. The way he paced his innings, the way he was counterattacking the bowlers,” Sunil Gavaskar told India Today.
“After the hundred, the way he went into top gear was simply fantastic to watch. It was a delight because at the end of the day he seemed as fresh as a daisy. His innings certainly augurs well for the future and the ODI World Cup.”
Gill brought up his fifty with a slog sweep of off-spinner Bracewell that went all the way. The stylish opener also got a life on 45 when Latham fluffed a straight forward stumping off Bracewell with Gill expecting the ball to turn.
That was all the stroke of luck that Gill had as he did not look back from there on. He unleashed his signature pull shots off the pacers while using his feet against the spinners.
He pulled Santner to get to 99 before reaching his third ODI hundred with a single. He reserved his best shot for the post century celebrations as he whipped a full delivery from Tickner between mid-wicket and mid-on.
After Suryakumar Yadav’s departure, Gill shared a 74-run stand with Hardik Pandya (28) who got out in a rather bizarre fashion.
As India cruised towards 300, Gill reached 150 with a six over deep mid-wicket off Bracewell. After that milestone, he went berserk and reached 200 with three huge sixes off Ferguson in the 49th over.
What was astounding was Gill’s ability to hit straight sixes.
His sensational hitting meant India hammered 57 runs off the last five overs.
With PTI inputs
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