NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has lavished praise on opening batter Shubman Gill, calling him “absolute gold dust” in the one-day format after his match-winning century (101 not out) against Bangladesh in India’s ICC Champions Trophy opener.
Gill’s inclusion in the squad and his appointment as vice-captain had sparked debates before the tournament, but Ashwin believes the young opener has silenced his critics with his performances.
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“Many people were discussing when the Champions Trophy squad was announced, maybe they were confusing it with Tests and saying how Shubman Gill can get a place in the squad. They were saying how Shubman was named vice-captain? But after every match, he’s replying to them,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin asserted that Gill has cemented his place in white-ball cricket, particularly in ODIs, though questions about his role may resurface once the Test format returns.
“In white-ball formats, and especially in one-dayers, he’s saying, ‘I’m here to stay.’ Even in T20s, his stats are good. When Test format returns, these questions will arise again, and then I can understand,” Ashwin noted.
Reflecting on 25-year-old Gill’s performances in major tournaments, Ashwin acknowledged that the 2023 World Cup did not go according to the batter’s expectations, but his latest knock reaffirmed his status as a generational talent.
“The 2023 World Cup didn’t go to Gill’s standards, but nevertheless, Shubman Gill has once again proven why he’s an exceptional, generational talent. He’s an absolute gold dust in this format, the way he sets his tempo, and the way he showed his temperament to seal the chase… it wasn’t the easiest of white-ball template pitches, but he adapted brilliantly,” Ashwin added.
Gill’s form will be crucial as India face arch-rivals Pakistan in a high-stakes Champions Trophy encounter on Sunday. With his ability to control the tempo of an innings, he will once again be India’s key weapon in their quest for a semi-final berth.
