He’ll be one of the most important players in the World Cup – Suresh Raina on Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill was in sensational touch in the recently concluded Asia Cup where he shook off all the fears of being ordinary in recent times, hammering away at heart’s content against an inferior Nepal and followed it with a rollicking knock against Pakistan as he took on their pace battery without breaking a sweat.

Gill top-scored across both teams with 302 runs from six matches with an average of 75.50, eliciting praise from former Indian all-rounder, Suresh Raina, who believes that the stylish right-hander will be an important element in the all-firing unit of the Indian batting order, come World Cup 2023.

Talking on "Home of Heroes" on Jio Cinema, Raina said, “He'll be one of the most important players at the World Cup. I know that he wants to be a superstar and wants to be the next Virat Kohli and is in that aura already and after this World Cup, we will be talking about him more often. The form he's playing in with his hand speed - it's extremely strong. Spinners don't know where to bowl to him and if fast bowlers don't swing the ball, he can play those really well with a straight or a flick. His mindset will not stop here. What Rohit Sharma did in the 2019 World Cup; Gill could do the same for India this year. He'll get 50 overs to bat, so it's a takeoff point for his batting. I think he's a born leader and he shows that in his game.”

Raina further added, “He’s been consistent for a year and a half. He struggled in the middle against the West Indies, but the way he's come back and scored good runs in the Asia Cup. He is looking positive, using good footwork, and from getting out at 40 against the West Indies, he is now comfortably hitting 50s and even 100s.”

Gill will be a vital cog in the Indian batting unit in the upcoming three-match ODI series against Australia, with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both rested for the first two matches. Ahead of a crucial home World Cup campaign, Gill will certainly hold the aces for India at the top of the order.