MOHALI, DEC 16,
Tamil Nadu’s bowlers ran into Shubman Gill, a 19-year-old batting powerhouse. Rated a tremendous potential by Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh, the right-hander produced an impeccable unbeaten 199, as Punjab posted an imposing 308 for two in reply to the visitors’ first innings score of 215 at the end of the second day’s play in their Ranji Trophy match at the PCA Stadium .Resuming at 213 for nine, TN’s innings folded up in 10 balls. Thereafter, it was all a Gill show that only reinforced the high praise that he has earned in the last two seasons. Opting out of a farming tradition, Gill pursued his love for cricket by moving to Chandigarh and making waves with his awesome talent.
“It was not an easy pitch,” said Gill, but he hardly produced a wrong shot, seldom appeared hustled into playing the ball, and went about his job by scoring at will. Showing no signs of fatigue after facing 234 balls, and hitting 21 fours and four sixes, Gill revealed his strategy of playing the ball on “merit.”
Suffering bowlers
TN’s bowlers suffered even when they bowled well because the lanky strokeplayer had all the time to play his shots. Such was his timing that he chose to forget, just for the day, Dravid’s advice to him of keeping the ball on the ground. Growing up close to the PCA Stadium, Gill would often be summoned to bat against fast bowlers at various camps held here. “Yes, it helped me a lot,” said Gill. No wonder, at a camp in the National Cricket Academy three years ago, he was marked as a batsman to watch out for by Dravid and Amol Muzumdar.
