Shubman Gill’s animated century celebration against Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad was a departure from his usual subdued demeanour. The Gujarat Titans captain let out a roar and uttered what appeared to be a cuss word, reflecting his frustration over his recent performance dip and omission from India’s T20 World Cup squad.
Ravi Shastri, Gill’s former India coach, believes the snub has deeply affected the young batter. “He (Gill) would be hurting. He should be hurting. He should look at it positively and try to get better,” Shastri said during commentary. Shastri emphasized that Gill’s talent is undeniable and he should be a part of any international team.
Gill’s exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad, despite his impressive form, has raised questions about the selection criteria. The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee opted for Yashasvi Jaiswal as Rohit Sharma’s opening partner, overlooking Gill as a backup opener despite the presence of Virat Kohli and Sanju Samson, who can also open if necessary.
Despite the setback, Shastri believes Gill has a bright future ahead. “His class will continue to grow. He might not be in the World Cup side but he will take it in his stride. That will help him become a better player. He’ll go from strength to strength,” Shastri added.
Gill, too, remains optimistic about his team’s chances of qualifying for the IPL playoffs. “The chances of us qualifying was 0.1 or 1 per cent. I think all of us, all 25-30 of us, believe that we can still make it into the playoffs. “Because I have seen miracles happen with this team in the past couple of years and we all do believe in that,” Gill said after the match.
The Gujarat Titans’ victory over Chennai Super Kings has revived their playoff hopes, lifting them from the bottom of the table to the eighth spot. Gill’s century and record-equalling partnership with Sai Sudharsan (103 off 51) propelled GT to a dominant total of 231/3. The bowlers then restricted CSK to 196/8, securing a crucial victory that keeps their playoff aspirations alive.
