Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya heaped rich praise on Shubman Gill after the young opener smashed his career-best 129 off just 60 balls in their IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 victory over Mumbai Indians on Friday, May 28. Gill delivered big time for GT in their must-win clash against 5-time champions as he produced a sensational knock in which he hit 10 sixes and 7 boundaries as the defending champions posted a winning total of 233 on the board.
Shubman Gill looked flawless as he made sure he made the most of a dropped opportunity at 30 to tear into the Mumbai Indians’ bowling attack. Shubman hit his first fifty in 32 balls and needed just 18 balls to add another fifty to his tally and bring up his 3rd century of IPL 2023.
Shubman Gill scored 3 hundreds in his last 4 innings and delivered when it mattered the most for the Gujarat Titans. The 23-year-old has scored 851 runs in 15 matches as he broke multiple records in IPl 2023. Shubman not only notched up the highest score by a batter in the history of the playoffs but also became only the 3rd batter after Virat Kohli (973 in 2016) and Jos Buttler (863 in 2022) to score in excess of 850 runs in a single season.
Gill had 483 runs in his first season for Gujarat Titans in the IPL but he has taken his game to another level in IPL 2023. Gill has not only piled up the runs, but they have come at a sensational strike rate of 156.
Hardik Pandya explained the difference this season, saying that there is more clarity of thought with the opener in the 2023 season.
“I think the clarity he [Shubman Gill] carried, he is in a great place when it comes to the mindset. This has to be one of the best knocks I have seen in a while. He never looked in rush, he was always in control and it felt like the balls were thrown at him and he was striking them. I mean whoof!! He is a superstar and is going to do great things for both the franchise and the country,” Hardik Pandya said.
