Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra believes Shubman Gill has the potential to score 50 or 60 centuries in the ODI format. Gill scored his 11th ODI century against the West Indies at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati, on Wednesday when he smashed a brilliant knock of 223 runs off just 133 balls.
Gill went on to score a magnum opus knock of 223 runs off 133 balls with the help of 26 fours and eight sixes. The Indian skipper completed his second double century in ODI format off just 117 balls, which is the fastest in the format.
Gill also became the second batter to score a double hundred in ODI cricket while chasing after Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell. Gill’s 223 is the highest individual score in ODI format while chasing and it is also the highest individual score by the Indian captain in the 50-over format.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “It is also possible that he could score 50 or 60 centuries because he is scoring runs with such regularity, and he has that hunger inside him. He is the Prince, but he has the hunger of a King inside him. That appetite is there. He was kicking himself even after getting out in the last match. He got out after scoring a 100. Here he scored 200 and he is still running.
“No one even talks about his fitness yet. I think he is underrated. Because if you have that kind of match fitness, where you celebrate by jumping after scoring 200 and then you actually finish the game, walking off not out. I mean, this is incredible stuff. So, the number one batter in the world, the ODI batter in the world, and he has batted like the number one,” he added.
In 68 ODI innings, Gill has registered 31 50+ scores and Chopra reckons the right-hander can breach the 15000 run-mark in the 50-over version if he plays 300 or 350 games.
“You really have to pause and take a break. And you have to pinch yourself to realize that he has only played 68 innings. In 68 innings, if he has already scored 11 centuries, including double centuries, and 20 half-centuries, meaning every second innings he is scoring a 50 or more. These are unreal numbers. They are unreal numbers. And then you have to be very honest that if this guy’s era also had as much ODI cricket as it used to have before, if he also plays 300 to 350 matches, then he will also reach 15,000 runs.”
Gill has scored 3712 runs in 69 ODI matches at a stunning average of 65.12.
