India opener Shoubman Gill is going through a purple patch with the bat and has set many records in the past few months, becoming the fastest Indian to reach 1000 runs in ODIs. On Tuesday, the young opener from Punjab brought up his 4th ODI century in the third and final match of the series against New Zealand at the Holkar Cricket Stadium as India defeated New Zealand by 90 runs to sweep the three-match series match. Continuing his hot form, Gill made 112 runs off just 78 balls, bringing up his second century of the series. Earlier in the series opener in Hyderabad, the opener had smashed a 208 to become the fifth Indian to reach an ODI double hundred. However, in a conversation with coach Rahul Dravid, Subhman said that his father will not be happy despite his odd moments. in this game and it looks like we got another big score in this game,” Shubman said of Dravid. “The difficult task of mastering your father. You are in good hands, Dravid replied.
The 23-year-old right-hander born in Fazilka, Punjab has thus equaled a rare record set by Pakistan’s Babar Azam against the West Indies in 2016. In 2016, Babar Azam also made 360 runs during the series against the West Indies, recording three hundred in three matches. The 23-year-old Gill has had a terrific start to his ODI career, amassing 1,254 runs in 21 matches at an average of 73.76 and a strike rate of 109.80. And the youngster completed 1000 runs earlier in the series in his 19th ODI innings, becoming the fastest Indian and the second fastest global in history.
On Tuesday, Gill, who was adjudged Player of the Series for his three-match outing against the Black Caps, made his ODI debut against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton in January 2019. In August that year, he set a record as the youngest Indian batsman to score a double century in a first-class match when, at the age of 19 years and 334 days, he scored 204 runs for India A against West Indies A at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Trinidad and Tobago. However, despite the early success, Gill had not been able to cement his place in the ODI squad. He got his chance as KL Rahul has been rested for the matches against New Zealand.
Of his recent success, Gill said he hasn’t changed his approach to the game that has seen him shine at the top. “It feels good and when you perform well. It’s satisfying. I haven’t changed my approach much. I’m looking to turn those starts into big ones, to express myself,” Gill said after the third ODI against New Zealand. He said his approach has always been to play according to the demands of the situation. “I try to play according to the situation and the conditions, not looking at my result”, he added.
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