Shubman Gill reveals his favourite footballer and non-Indian cricketer

Touted to emerge as a vital cog of the Indian batting force, Shubman Gill has already started grabbing the headlines by his performances in the domestic circuit. The 20-year-old, who has showcased his potential in the Indian Premier League (IPL) too, broke into the senior team in January.

However, it was not a start that Gill would have hoped for. The youngster could only rack up 9 and 7 in the fourth and fifth ODIs against New Zealand. He was also successful in earning his maiden Test call-up for the home series against South Africa after KL Rahul was dropped from the side. Gill has amassed 1535 runs in 15 matches in his first-class career at an impressive average of 69.8. The youngster has also smashed four centuries and nine half-centuries in first-class cricket.

In a recent interview, the right-hander picked Brazil’s Neymar and South Africa’s AB de Villiers as his favourite sportspersons outside cricket and best non-Indian cricketer respectively. “Yeah, many. I like Neymar Jr a lot,” ESPN Cricinfo quoted Gill as saying when he was asked about his preferred sportsman outside cricket. When Gill was asked to choose the best non-Indian cricketer with whom he has played with or against, he picked AB de Villiers.

Shubman Gill became the youngest batsman to score a double ton

Gill scripted another record to his name by smashing a double century in the third unofficial Test against West Indies A. At the age of 19 years and 334 days, he became the youngest batsman to score a double hundred. Gill broke the record of Gautam Gambhir, who had scored 218 for India Board President’s XI against Zimbabwe in 2002 at the age of 20 years and 124 days.

Adding yet another feather to his illustrious cap, Gill recently entered the record books by captaining Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He surpassed current Indian captain Virat Kohli after the 20-year-old became the youngest-known captain to lead a side in the finals of Deodhar Trophy. Kohli had captained North Zone in the final back in the 2009-10 season at the age of 21.

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