India vs New Zealand 1st ODI: Sanjay Manjrekar compares Shubman Gill to MS Dhoni, says THIS

Young Team India opener Shubman Gill became the fifth Indian batter to score a double century in ODI cricket. Gill also became the youngest batter to score a double ton in ODIs at 23 years of age in the first ODI against New Zealand at Hyderabad on Wednesday (January 19).

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar was among the first to compare Gill to a legend of the game, MS Dhoni. Manjrekar felt that Gill’s ability to hit straight sixes is much alike Chennai Super Kings skipper. “When I saw Dhoni the first time that he mostly hit straight sixes told me that he will be consistent when it comes to big hitting. Gill has the same gift. Fingers crossed for him,” Manjrekar said in a tweet.

When I saw Dhoni the first time that he mostly hit straight sixes told me that he will be consistent when it comes to big hitting. Gill has the same gift. Fingers crossed for him. _ — Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) January 18, 2023

Gill became the youngest cricketer to hit a double century in ODIs at 23 years and 132 days, and the fastest Indian to get 1,000 runs in the format, Bracewell lifted New Zealand from 131/6 to almost chasing down 350, but fell 12 runs short. At the post-match presentation ceremony, Gill said his knock of 208 from 149 balls, laced with 19 fours and nine sixes, apart from 58 ones and ten twos at a strike-rate of 139.60, was one of the things which came in the category of ‘what dreams are made of’.

“I wasn’t thinking about 200 before I hit those sixes in the 46th or 47th over. That’s when I thought I could get a double. I won’t call it a ‘wow’ feeling but it feels nice when the ball goes off the bat how you want it. There’s certainly a feeling of satisfaction. It has sunk in pretty well, this is certainly one of those things, like what dreams are made of,” he said.

Gill’s scoring accelerated throughout the innings, with his first 50 coming off 52 balls. He went from 50 to 100 off just 35 deliveries and then jumped from 100 to 150 in 35 deliveries. But it was his final flurry that saw the acceleration really take off, with Gill going from 150 to 200 in just 23 balls, passing the double-century point thanks to three consecutive sixes off Lockie Ferguson in the 49th over.

“I was waiting eagerly to go out there and do what I wanted to do. I wanted to unleash but sometimes you don’t get to do it with wickets falling. I got to do it in the end. When the bowler is on top, you have to get them under pressure otherwise it’s easier for them to create dot balls. I tried to get singles and boundaries and get them under pressure,” he added.

(with IANS inputs)