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Former Indian cricketer Suresh Raina has backed Shubman Gill to have a prolific ODI World Cup just like his opening partner Rohit Sharma in the 2019 edition in England. Rohit became the first player in the history of the game to score five centuries in a single edition of the tournament.
Raina feels Gill's ability to convert his starts into big scores is similar to that of the Indian captain and reckons the youngster could up the ante and take his game to the next level during the World Cup.
Here's what Suresh Raina told Jio Cinema about Shubman Gill:
"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."
Suresh Raina on Shubman Gill's consistency
Shubman Gill had a tough tour of the West Indies across formats, where he could score in excess of fifty just twice. However, just when the concerns began to rise, Gill unleashed his best in the Asia Cup. He scored 302 runs and ended up being the highest run-scorer in the tournament, with two fifties and a hundred to his name.
On this, Suresh Raina stated:
"He's been consistent for a year and a half. He struggled in the middle against 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. He'll be one of the most important players at the World Cup."
He further added:
"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."
While the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will definitely be crucial for India's batting, Shubman Gill's red-hot form is also a great sign for them before the World Cup.
