Nineteen-year-old Shubman Gill has earned his maiden One-Day International (ODI) for India's upcoming New Zealand tour.
Nineteen-year-old Shubman Gill has earned his maiden One-Day International (ODI) call-up for India's upcoming New Zealand tour.
Following the KL Rahul-Hardik Pandya fiasco, BCCI had earlier named Mayank Agarwal as Rahul's replacement and Tamil Nadu all-rounder Vijay Shankar as Pandya's for the remainder of the Australia series.
However, it was later revealed that Agarwal is nursing a niggle and which is why the team management has asked for only one replacement in Australia and that is Shankar. Gill will join the Indian team in New Zealand for the five-match ODI series, starting January 23.
Gill has been rewarded for his consistent performances with the bat in Ranji Trophy and India A matches.
Here's everything you need to know about the cricketer, who is soon-to-be part of Virat Kohli's Team India:
1. Living his father's dream
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Gill hails from a small town in Punjab, Fazilka, and his Lakhwinder Singh, who owns agricultural lands there, wanted to become a cricketer. However, when he failed, he was lucky to have a son, who looked to have cricket in his blood.
In the initial years, Lakhwinder would ask the hired help on the farm to throw balls at Gill to help him practice batting. When Gill's father was convinced of his talent, they moved to Mohali and rented a house near the PCA Stadium. PC: Twitter
2. Gill's domestic debut
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As a 17-year-old, Gill made his List A debut for Punjab in the 2016-17 Vijay Hazare Trophy against Vidarbha but did not have a memorable match as he was run out for mere 11 runs. However, there was no looking back from there as Gill has scored 1,529 runs in 36 List A games at an average of 47.78. He already has four centuries and seven fifties in the 50-over game.
Meanwhile, he made his Ranji Trophy debut for Punjab in late 2017 with a half-century in the game and an attacking 129 in the next match. PC: PTI
3. 2018 Under-19 World Cup: Player of the Series
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A year later, Gill was named Prithvi Shaw's deputy in the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup which was held in New Zealand. He played a crucial role in India's successful campaign and was named the Player of the Series for his 372 runs at an average of 124.00. His century against arch-rivals Pakistan in the semi-final earned him praises from the Pakistani players too, who ran to congratulate him after the completion of the innings. PC: PTI
4. One of India's best three in U-19 World Cup
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Gill was one of the three players in India's Under-19 team that won the World Cup last year in New Zealand along with Shaw and Shivam Mavi. While Shaw and Mavi had played for India A, Gill was yet to make his debut for the same.
Keeping in mind that 19-year-old Gill has needed just one year to earn a senior team call-up, one could consider that Indian cricket's future looks bright, thanks to youngsters like him. PC: ICC
5. Gill attracted IPL franchises
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Following Gill's Player of the Series award in the U-19 World Cup, he attracted the interest of four franchises in IPL 2018 auction - Kings XI Punjab, Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals - who were eager to buy him.
In the end, KKR made the final bid and snatched him for Rs 1.80 Crore. In 11 innings in the IPL 2018, Gill scored 203 runs with a strike-rate of 146.04. PC: PTI
6. Gill emulated his coach Dravid in First-Class cricket
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Earlier in the ongoing 2018-19 season of Ranji Trophy, playing for Punjab against Tamil Nadu, Gill remained unbeaten on 199 off 234 balls. He had become just the 13th batsman and second Indian, after Rahul Dravid in the First-Class history to sleep on 199 not out.
Gill's India Under-19 coach and former Indian cricketer, Dravid, had done that during the Adelaide Test between India and Australia in 2003. PC: Twitter
7. Red-hot form in Ranji Trophy
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"Gill is being rewarded for his good show in Ranji Trophy and A-tours," a source close to the selection committee said about the youngster's maiden ODI call. The right-handed batsman has been in red-hot form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy season as he has scored 728 runs at an average of 104.
His highest score of 268 came against Tami Nadu in a televised game played in Mohali. PC: AFP
