Shubman Gill: The Future Superstar with Dhoni-Like Instincts, Aakash Chopra’s Insightful Analysis
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has drawn comparisons between Shubman Gill and legends like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, praising Gill’s ability to understand the pulse of the game. As the young batter rises in Indian cricket, recently named vice-captain in white-ball formats and eyed for a crucial role in the Test team, his path to superstardom appears set. Despite not making India's T20 World Cup squad, Chopra remains confident in Gill's future across all formats.
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INDC Network : Sports : Shubman Gill, at just 25 years of age, has quickly emerged as one of the most promising young talents in Indian cricket. Recognized not only for his technical prowess but also for his leadership potential, the BCCI recently elevated Gill to the vice-captaincy role in white-ball cricket. His rise has been accompanied by expectations that he will step into key roles across all formats, including the pivotal number 3 spot in Test cricket, previously held by Cheteshwar Pujara.
While his initial stint at number 3 in the Test team didn’t produce immediate results, Gill's persistence paid off during the Test series against England earlier this year. He racked up 452 runs in 5 matches, including two centuries, proving that he belongs at the top level. His performances have cemented his place in India’s ODI setup, where he is expected to open the innings alongside Rohit Sharma in the Champions Trophy.
Shubman's growth, however, is not limited to ODIs and Tests. With Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma expected to step away from T20 internationals in the near future, Gill is being groomed for a bigger role in the shortest format of the game. His potential to succeed in all three formats has drawn comparisons with some of the game's greatest.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra recently heaped praise on Gill, noting a specific quality that sets him apart—his ability to understand the pulse of the game. According to Chopra, this instinct is something that also defined players like MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli at a young age.
"The biggest quality of Shubman is that he understands the pulse of the game," said Chopra during a podcast with Raj Shamani. "Some players are very quick to understand. Some understand eventually. Some never understand. Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni understood it very quickly, and so does Shubman. He knows where the game is going and how to influence it. He is absolutely brilliant—top-class."
While Gill missed out on a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad, Chopra believes the selectors made the right call, defending their decision to promote Kohli and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the opening roles. Still, Chopra remains confident that Gill’s time in T20Is will come soon enough.
Gill’s recent IPL performances further cement his status as a rising star. In IPL 2023, he amassed 890 runs in a stellar season for Gujarat Titans. Although he wasn’t part of the T20 World Cup, Chopra compared his situation to Rohit Sharma’s exclusion from the 2011 World Cup squad, which didn’t hinder Rohit from becoming India’s most successful captain.
With a bright future ahead, Shubman Gill is expected to leave a lasting mark on Indian cricket, just as Dhoni and Kohli did before him.
