'He's doing a Virat Kohli': Dinesh Karthik lauds Shubman Gill's calm dominance against Australia in rain-hit clash

NEW DELHI: Shubman Gill's poised yet powerful batting display in the rain-marred first T20I against Australia in Canberra has reignited comparisons with Virat Kohli's hallmark composure and efficiency. The Indian vice-captain looked in complete control at the top of the order, remaining unbeaten on 37 off just 20 balls before the skies opened up and play was eventually called off.

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Gill's innings, which featured crisp timing and effortless strokeplay, reflected a growing maturity that has become a defining feature of his batting. Even without taking undue risks, he maintained a strike rate of 185, underlining his ability to dominate bowlers without appearing aggressive.




Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik was among those left impressed, drawing a striking comparison between Gill's style and that of former skipper Virat Kohli. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Karthik said, “This is what Virat Kohli does in ODIs. You'll never know where he is till you look at the scorecard. You'll think he has only been around sometime and he'll be on 45.”

The veteran cricketer noted that Gill's innings mirrored Kohli's signature ability to score freely while appearing unhurried.

Karthik also touched on the intense competition within India's T20 setup, acknowledging that Gill's place at the top of the order is far from a given.

“I am sure he is aware of the kind of players he is keeping out, starting from Sanju (Samson) opening, Yashasvi (Jaiswal) and the rest like Ruturaj and KL Rahul. It's not easy to be a T20 player right now — you need to be consistent, exceptionally skilled and almost play a match-winning knock every second or third game. That's the kind of depth India has,” Karthik added.

Karthik believes Gill's growing leadership stature — as captain in Tests and ODIs and vice-captain in T20Is — has further boosted his self-belief.

“The fact that he is the Indian captain and vice-captain will give him a lot of confidence. That helps you up to a point, but then you need to go out there and put out the runs, which he has done nicely today,” Karthik added.

For India, Gill's evolving balance between flair and focus could be the key as they build toward next year's T20 World Cup.
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