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U-19 Wizard Shubman Gill Provides A Savoury Touch With The Bat

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The Indian Under-19 cricket has produced a plethora of stars since many years who then went on to become celebrated names in the senior team. In the ongoing ICC U-19 World Cup, the Indian team coached by the legendary Rahul Dravid bodes players that have emerged in the cricket world with a lot of talent and promise.
Well, just these two attributes don’t always guarantee success in the biggest stage, and blast from the past signifies all the sweat and determination needed to be successful. Punjab’s Shubman Gill has the fire under his belly to reach heights in a team that boasts of several promising players including skipper Prithvi Shaw.
Shubman, who has been awarded with the responsibility of being the Indian U-19 team’s vice-captain has already shown attributes of getting runs home and away and with a wide range of shots under his belt, he looks to be a top class entity. Representing India in the ongoing World Cup is another feather to his cap after he earned call-ups to feature for his state in first class cricket last year.
It will be interesting to see whether the Punjab player could follow in the footsteps of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, who went on to become pivotal part of the Indian batting’s opening set-up.
The Journey and childhood
Gill was born in Chak Khedevala, Punjab and was interested in cricket from a very young age. According to a report in Wisden Cricket, his father Lakhwinder moved to Mohali in 2007 along with his entire family and got Shubman enrolled at the Mohali Cricket Association at the age of eight. This was due to lack of facilities in their village.
At the age of 11, he was selected to play for Punjab’s Under-16 district-level two-day games where he finished as the highest run-scorer with 330 runs in five games. He then got selected in Punjab’s Vijay Merchant Under-16 squad for the 2013-14 season. He went on to score 734 runs at an average of 73.40 in seven matches, leading Punjab to the finals. Next season he helped the side win the title with a ton in the final.
Highlights:

  1. In 2014, he smashed 351 in the ML Markan Trophy, Punjab’s Inter-District Under-16 cricket tournament.
  2. Gill bagged the best U-16 cricketer BCCI award in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016.
  3. Scored 1018 runs in U-16 Vijay Merchant trophy in 2014-15,
  4. Scored more than 500 runs in Cooch Behar Trophy in 2017.
  5. In 2014, Gill had made a world record 587-run partnership along with Nirmal Singh in Punjab U-16 tournament.
  6. Leading run-scorer of the U-19 side that thrashed England under-19 5-0 in the ODIs in 2017

Ranji Trophy Breakthrough
Success in the Under-16 district-level and state-level earned him a stint at the National Cricket Academy. Prior to that he was adjudged the Under-16 cricketer award from the BCCI in 2013-14 and 2014-15. From there on Gill was an unstoppable force as he was called by the state team for Ranji Trophy matches. He missed out on the opening games due to an injury but made a dream debut. Against Services, Gill showed he has it in him to become a great player after notching 63 runs in the first innings against Bengal in his debut. He followed it up with a sublime 129 runs against Services in the next game.
Matches: 2, Runs: 245, Best: 129, Average: 61.25
ICC U-19 World Cup
The 18-year-old right-handed opening batsman has been on fire for his side in the ongoing World Cup and played superbly to amass two half centuries already in the group stage. His quick fire 90 off 59 balls against Zimbabwe in the side’s last encounter helped India win by 10 wickets in a Group B clash. Gill’s innings included 13 boundaries and a six. Against Australia in the opening encounter he smashed 63 runs as well.
Gill is an aggressive batsman upfront and has received praise from coach Rahul Dravid. Gill will be wanting to help his side go all the way and get his side more silverware which they won back in 2000, 2008 and 2012.
Runs: 153, Best: 90*, Average: 153.00
Resembling Virat Kohli
It looks like the teenager has already picked up some tricks and trades from senior team’s Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli. In his unbeaten 90-run knock against Zimbabwe, the opening batsman smashed Nkosilathi Nungu for a six over mid-wicket with a short-arm jab. The shot resembled Kohli’s short-arm jab against England in an ODI encounter last year. Watch and decide for yourself!

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Kohli had risen from the U-19 scenario to make a huge name for himself and has become an established batsman in world cricket. What Gill will look to do is follow Kohli’s footsteps and go about his job consistently.
The Rahul Dravid touch
“He (Rahul Dravid) just told to go out and play your game and be impressive. The pitches are all pretty good to bat on,” was Gill’s words in the post-match against Zimbabwe when he was adjudged the man-of-the-match. Dravid has been a gentleman in world cricket and a true legend and his inputs in shaping these future stars will be a significant factor.
Gill will be be hoping to maximise on the advice from his mentor on how to go about in overseas conditions especially. This stint in the U-19 World Cup will bring a lot of experience into play for Gill and help him in the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. Gill has the potential to strike the right chords and Dravid’s influence is something any player would have asked for.

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