Nasser Hussain, the ex-captain of the English cricket team, spoke highly of Indian hitter Shubman Gill. He’s confident that Gill has what it takes to be a cricket legend. Nasser was impressed by Gill’s performance in 2023, calling him a “great talent”.
Gill, who is 24, was the top hitter in the ODIs during 2023. He played 29 games and delivered an exceptional 1584 runs that averaged 63.36. His strike rate was 105.45, with hundreds in five and fifties in nine matches. Gill stands out for scoring 208 out of 149 balls, a double ton, versus New Zealand in Hyderabad. He also got a hundred runs in both Test and T20I games.
In a video posted on the ICC Instagram account, Hussain discussed his ideas about the upcoming crop of cricket superstars. In reference to Gill, he said:
“The men, I am going to go with Shubman Gill. I think he had a very good three quarters, nine-tenths of 2023. He must have learned so much having the likes of Rohit Sharma at the other end.
Nasser Hussain
Nasser Hussain Added:
“It just fell away maybe at the end. Maybe that illness just got to him a little and his form (dipped) just in a month. We take it far too short when we are in the broadcasting world. He’s a super talent and he’s going to be the next sensation for India for years to come. So hopefully, he’ll have a good 2024,” the 55-year-old added.
Nasser Hussain
Gill had a respectable World Cup following his dengue recovery, amassing 354 runs at an average of 44.25 and a strike rate of 106.94 in nine games. But he had trouble in the T20Is in South Africa, and in the Boxing Day Test in Centurion, he scored two and 26.
“He was a revelation” – Nasser Hussain on Rachin Ravindra
Hussain is also fascinated by young New Zealand batsman Rachin Ravindra in addition to Gill. The latter, with three hundreds and an average of 64.22 and a strike rate of 106.45 in ten innings, absolutely destroyed the World Cup.
Hussain complimented the left-hander, saying:
“Going into that World Cup, I’d seen him in England a bit. He came in at Lord’s down the order and smashed it around and I thought, crikey, he can play. And then, they moved him up to the top of the order and he was a revelation. So, Rachin Ravindra, hopefully he can continue his progression.”
Nasser Hussain
Rachin Ravindra, 24, has so far participated in three Tests, twenty-five ODIs, and eighteen Twenty20 Internationals. He has scored 73, 820, and 145 runs, respectively. Additionally, he has used his left-arm spin to take 32 wickets in various forms.