Shubman Gill (born 8 September 1999) is an Indian international cricketer who represents the Indian cricket team across all three formats. He is the captain of the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League and plays for Punjab in domestic cricket. He is widely considered as one the best batsmen in contemporary world cricket.[2] Gill served as the vice-captain of the Indian Under-19 cricket team in the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup and won Player of the Tournament award.[3] A right-handed opening batsman, Gill holds the record for youngest cricketer to score a double century in One Day International cricket and the highest T20I score by an individual for the Indian team.[4] He also holds the record for the fastest player to score 2000 runs in ODIs (38 innings).[5]
In 2022, Gill was part of the IPL championship winning Gujarat Titans team. Gill would go on to win the 2023 IPL Orange Cap, scoring 890 runs, the second highest total in IPL history, including three centuries. Gill scored 129 in the IPL Qualifies 2, the highest individual score in IPL Playoffs history. Gill was appointed as the captain of Gujarat Titans ahead of IPL 2024 after Hardik Pandya was traded to Mumbai Indians.
Early life
Shubman Gill was born on 8 September 1999 to a Punjabi Sikh family in Fazilka, Punjab.[13][14] His father, Lakhwinder Singh, is an agriculturist and aspired to become a cricketer. Gill showed early promise in cricket, and his father moved the family to Mohali, near the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, so that he could train at a higher level.[15]
Shubman Gill showed early promise in cricket. At the age of 14, he scored a double-century on his Under-16 debut for Punjab in the Vijay Merchant Trophy. In 2014, he scored 351 runs in Punjab's Inter-District Under-16 competition and shared a record opening stand of 587 runs with Nirmal Singh.[16][17]
In October 2018, he was named in India C's squad for the 2018–19 Deodhar Trophy.[21] In the final round-robin match, against India A, he scored an unbeaten century to help send India C through to the final.[22] The following month, he was named as one of eight players to watch ahead of the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy.[23] In December 2018, during Punjab's match against Tamil Nadu in the Ranji Trophy, Gill scored his maiden double century in first-class cricket, scoring 268 runs.[24][25] On 25 December 2018, on the fourth day of the match against Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy, with Punjab needing 338 runs from 57 overs, Gill scored 148 off 154 balls to almost single-handedly take his side to victory. The match finished as a draw, with Punjab ending the run chase at 324/8 in 57 overs.[26]
By 1 January 2019, Gill had scored 990 runs in first-class cricket, from fourteen innings across eight matches.[27] One week later, he scored his 1,000th run in first-class cricket, in his fifteenth innings.[28] He was the leading run-scorer for Punjab in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy, with 728 runs in five matches.[29]
In August 2019, he was named as the captain of the India Blue team for the 2019–20 Duleep Trophy.[30][31] In October 2019, Gill was selected as the captain of the India C team for the 2019–20 Deodhar Trophy.[32] In November 2019, he became the youngest cricketer to lead a side in the tournament. He was 20 years and 57 days old, beating Virat Kohli's record, when he was 21 years 124 days old, during the 2009–10 tournament.[33]
In February 2017, he was part of the Indian U-19 where he played a key role in the team's series win against England U-19,[36][37] In December 2017, he was named vice captain of India's squad for the 2018 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.[38][39] He had a successful tournament, leading the team in runs scored with 372 runs and was also named the player of the tournament.[40][41] Following India's matches in the tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) named Gill as the rising star of the squad.[42]
In January 2019, Gill was added to India's squad for the limited-overs leg for their series against New Zealand.[43] On 31 January 2019, he made his One Day International (ODI) debut for India, playing in the fourth ODI match of the series against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton.[44] In August 2019, Gill set a record as the youngest Indian batsman to score a double century in a first-class match.[45] 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.[46] The following month, he was selected in India's Test squad for their series against South Africa, but did not play.[47] In December 2019, Gill was named as the captain of India A squad for their tour of New Zealand.[48] In February 2020, he was once again named in India's Test squad, this time for their series against New Zealand.[49]
Gill made his Test debut for India on 26 December 2020, against Australia, helping India to a comeback win in the second match of the series. In the fourth Test at the Gabba, he scored 91 runs to help India win the series. His performances proved to be instrumental[50][51] On 22 August 2022, Gill accomplished a major milestone in his cricket career by scoring his first One Day International (ODI) century for the Indian national team. The match was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, and was the third ODI of the series.[52] On 16 December 2022, against Bangladesh, Gill scored the first century of his Test career and was dismissed for 110 runs.[53]
Gill made his Twenty20 International debut on 3 January 2023, against Sri Lanka. He scored seven runs from five balls in that match.[54] On 18 January 2023, against New Zealand, Gill scored a double century.[55] He became 5th Indian batsman to hit a double century in ODI's, and he is currently the youngest batsman to score a double century in ODI's in men's international cricket .[56][4]
On 1 February 2023, Gill scored his maiden T20I century against New Zealand. He became the 5th Indian batsman to score a century in all formats of international cricket. He now also holds the record for the highest individual score by an Indian batsman in men's T20I, scoring 126 runs off 63 deliveries.[57] Playing against New Zealand in the 2023 Cricket World Cup, Gill reached the milestone of 2,000 ODI runs in his 38th innings to set a world record for scoring 2,000 in lowest number of innings. The previous record was 40 innings by Hashim Amla of South Africa.[58]
In January 2018, he was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹1.8 crore (US$230,000) in the 2018 IPL auction.[59][60] He made his Twenty20 debut for Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2018 Indian Premier League on 14 April 2018.[61] Gill scored 203 runs in the 2018 season as KKR would finish third, losing in Qualifier 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.[62]
In 2020, Gill would score 440 runs, making him the highest scoring player for KKR that season. The team would however finish fifth once again.[65]
During the 2021 edition of the IPL, Gill scored 478, being KKR's highest scorer once again. KKR would reach the final where Gill would score a half-century, however, the team would ultimately lose to CSK, coming second.[66] After the announcement of two new teams entering the league, each team was allowed to retain up to 4 players but Gill was not retained.[67]
Ahead of the 2022 IPL auction, Gill was drafted by the newly formed Gujarat Titans franchise for ₹8 crore (equivalent to ₹8.5 crore or US$1.1 million in 2023).[68] Gill would score 483 runs in 2022, and the Titans would defeat Rajasthan Royals to win the 2022 IPL in their inaugural year.[69]
In the 2023 season, Gill would score 890 runs, becoming the second highest run scorer ever in a single IPL season and winning the orange cap.[70] Gill became the fourth man to score back to back centuries, 101 against the SRH and 104* against RCB.[71] In Qualifier 2 versus MI, Gill achieved the season's highest individual score of 129 off 60 balls and the record of highest ever score in an IPL playoffs match and second most centuries in an IPL season at 3.[72] While Gill would play in his third consecutive final, the Titans would lose to the Chennai Super Kings.[73]
Shubman Gill has a twin sister named Shahneel Gill.[77] His father, Lakhwinder Singh, created a cricket ground on their farm for Gill to practice on,[6] and encouraged him to play against local boys. Gill also received coaching from his school for sometime. When he was older, his father moved the family to Mohali so that he could attend the Punjab Cricket Association's academy.[78][79]
^"The Importance Of Being Shubman Gill – by Mukul Kesavan". NDTV. Batting aside, Gill's presence might signal a significant aesthetic shift. It'll be a nice irony if the ascension of a clean-shaven Sikh ends the trend of Kohli-bearded clones.
