Shubman Gill, one of the most promising young cricketers in India, celebrated his 25th birthday on September 8, 2024. Over the past few years, Gill has been widely regarded as the heir to Virat Kohli’s legacy in Indian cricket. While he has shown glimpses of brilliance with the bat, he also managed to surpass one of Kohli’s records, not in batting, but in captaincy, when he was just 20 years old.
A Star in the Making
Born on September 8, 1999, in Fazilka, Punjab, Shubman Gill first made headlines when he played a pivotal role in India’s triumph in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup. A decade earlier, Virat Kohli had been in a similar position, leading the Indian team to victory in the 2008 Under-19 World Cup. Unlike Kohli, who captained the side, Gill was the star batsman of the 2018 team, scoring a memorable century against Pakistan in the semi-finals. His outstanding performance earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
The Journey to Team India
Gill’s success at the Under-19 level caught the attention of Indian cricket’s top brass. Soon after, he was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the Indian Premier League (IPL) with a whopping bid of ₹1.8 crores. His IPL performances further cemented his reputation as a future star.
In January 2019, Gill made his international debut for Team India in an ODI against New Zealand. However, his first outing was not a fairytale debut, as he managed to score only 9 runs. In the following ODI, he scored just 7 runs. Despite this slow start, the selectors and team management kept faith in his talent.
Breaking Virat Kohli’s Captaincy Record
Between his ODI debut and his return to the national side, Gill played a significant amount of domestic cricket and was part of several India-A tours. It was during this period that Gill made a special mark as a captain. Impressed by his performances in domestic cricket, the selectors appointed him as the captain of the India-C team for the 2019-20 Deodhar Trophy.
Under Gill’s leadership, India-C reached the final of the tournament but lost to India-B. Despite the defeat, Gill made history by becoming the youngest player to captain a team in the final of the Deodhar Trophy at just 20 years and 57 days old. In doing so, he broke Virat Kohli’s record, who had captained the North Zone team in the 2009-10 season final at the age of 21 years and 112 days.
Shubman Gill Caught Fans Attention by Wearing Taped Jersey in Duleep Trophy 2024
Shubman Gill’s Growing List of Records
Since that milestone, Gill has continued to impress in international cricket. He holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian in T20 Internationals, having scored a blistering 126 off 63 balls against New Zealand, surpassing Kohli’s previous best of 122 runs. Moreover, at the age of 23, Gill became the youngest batsman in the world to score a double century in ODIs, achieving this feat against New Zealand.
Gill’s rapid rise in international cricket has not gone unnoticed. Just before his 25th birthday, he was named the vice-captain of the Indian ODI and T20 teams, a clear indication that the team management sees him as a future leader.
Shubman Gill’s Captaincy Error and Unfortunate Dismissal in Duleep Trophy 2024
Shubman Gill’s Career Stats
As of now, Gill has played 25 Test matches for India, scoring 1492 runs, including 4 centuries and 6 half-centuries. In the ODI format, he has amassed 2328 runs in 47 matches, with 6 centuries and 13 half-centuries. In T20 Internationals, he has scored 578 runs in 21 matches, including 1 century and 3 half-centuries.
Shubman Gill’s journey from a promising young talent to a record-breaking cricketer has been remarkable. As he enters his mid-twenties, Indian cricket fans are excited to see what the future holds for this young star. With his talent, determination, and leadership skills, Gill seems well on his way to carrying forward the legacy of Virat Kohli and becoming one of India’s cricketing greats.
