'He is almost like Roger Federer...' - Ex Pakistani star's praise on Shubman Gill post his double ton vs New Zealand

IND vs NZ ODIs 2023: 'He is almost like Roger Federer...' - Ex Pakistani star's praise on Shubman Gill post his double ton (Image Source: Twitter)

Shubman Gill, the right-handed batter, outclassed with the bat during the first ODI vs New Zealand on January 18, Wednesday, scoring his first-ever 200 in the format. To add more, the stylish batter gathered 208 runs, helping team India put on 349 runs on the board at the end of the first innings and it was the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team who won the game by a margin of 12 runs, with Michael Bracewell almost pulling off a win for the Kiwis with his 140. 

Ever since Gill scored his double ton, former cricketers from India and around the world have been heaping praise on the youngster and a few of his ardent fans are claiming that he is the next big thing for India in cricket. Former Pakistani cricketer Salman Butt joined the likes of those and said that he is one of the best batters at the moment, in the era of power hitters. 

“I have been a fan of Gill ever since he played in that World Test Championship final against New Zealand in England due to the time that he has and the elegance and the finish that he has in his strokes. You won't see many touch players like him in international cricket. There is talk of only power hitters everywhere these days,” Butt was quoted as saying on his YouTube Channel. 

Shubman Gill shows a glimpse of greatness: Salman Butt

The Pakistani cricketer compared Gill to the tennis legend Roger Federer and claimed that there is a glimpse of greatness in the right-handed batter who has all it takes to become the best batter for the Indian team in the near future. Gill had a stupendous outing as an opener for India in 2022 and with the 50-over World Cup to be played in India later this year, he might have well cemented his place in the squad for the multinational tournament. 

“This is a different kind of cricket that Gill is playing. It is almost like Roger Federer who plays his shots with incredible quality and touch. The finesse that Shubman Gill has shown in his game is very rare in players with such a young age. He is one of his kind and there is a glimpse of greatness,” Butt was quoted as saying. 

“It was not just about his touch shots but also about the way he scored his runs despite all major batters getting out at the other end at regular intervals. The way he picked and chose his shots and the bowlers to target showed that his game has already developed to a greater extent,” he added.