In order to enable Shubman Gill, the presumed successor to the former India captain, “grow and understand his potential,” Virat Kohli said on Tuesday, playing down titles like “king” and “prince.”
The 23-year-old batting phenom Gill, who has been well-known in all three formats of the game over the past 12 months, and Kohli frequently speak, according to Kohli, who also noted that both players respect one another.
After a record-breaking IPL season with Gujarat Titans, wherein Gill finished with 890 runs — second highest for any batter after Kohli’s 973 runs in 2016 — the young India and Gujarat Titans opener is being touted for greater achievements.
Kohli talks about Gill
“He (Gill) speaks to me a lot about the game, is very keen to learn and has an amazing skill set at his age,” Kohli told the ICC.
“He has got an amazing ability and a temperament to perform at the highest level and is confident and we do have that relationship and we do have that understanding based upon respect.”
Shubman Gill, who has already scored a double century in one ODI and has dominated the IPL with up to three centuries in his previous five games, has also amassed two hundreds from 15 Test outings.
In the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, which will begin at The Oval on Wednesday, Virat Kohli believes he will score runs in the match.
“I am keen to help him grow and really understand his potential and come into his own, so that he can play for a long time and perform consistently and India cricket gets benefited,” Kohli said.
“These tags of king and prince and all of that kind of thing are great for the public and spectators to see, but I think the job of any senior player is to help improve the youngsters and give them the insight (that) you have had throughout your career. As long as a guy is keen to learn, like him, he is going to be fine as he wants to learn how to do this for a long time at the highest level and perform consistently.”
“He is a lovely kid and he is playing amazingly well and I wish he continues the same in this Test match.” Skipper Rohit Sharma will partner Gill at the top of India’s batting order in the WTC final.
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