Former Pak captain praises Shubman Gill after his double century knock: ‘Almost like Roger Federer…’

Indian cricketer Shubman Gill is on cloud nine after becoming the youngest batter to score a double century in ODIs on Wednesday. He pulled off the feat against New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. His 208 off 149 balls helped India win the match by 12 runs.

Gill also completed 1000 runs in the limited overs format and became the fastest Indian batter to reach the four-figure mark. In 19 ODIs, the youngster has scored 1102 runs and averages 68.88 with three centuries under his belt.

Previously, Gill has been heavily criticised for his strike rate in white ball cricket. But with every game, the sheer class and talent of the 23-year-old is getting revealed to the cricketing fraternity. On his YouTube channel, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt was all praise for the youngster following his double hundred knock. Butt underlined the emphatic batting capability of the Indian batter and called himself a fan of Gill.

"I have been a fan of Gill ever since he played in that World Test Championship final against New Zealand in England due to the time that he has and the elegance and the finish that he has in his strokes. You won't see many touch players like him in international cricket. There is talk of only power hitters everywhere these days," said Butt.

The ex-Pakistan skipper compared Shubman Gill's elegance to the playing style of tennis legend Roger Federer, highlighting how the young batsman depends more on finesse and skill rather than power.

"This is a different kind of cricket that Gill is playing. It is almost like Roger Federer who plays his shots with incredible quality and touch. The finesse that Shubman Gill has shown in his game is very rare in players with such a young age. He is one of his kind and there is a glimpse of greatness," highlighted Butt.

"It was not just about his touch shots but also about the way he scored his runs despite all major batters getting out at the other end at regular intervals. The way he picked and chose his shots and the bowlers to target showed that his game has already developed to a greater extent," he added.

Also Read: Shubman Gill shares pre-match banter with Ishan Kishan after double century vs NZ