'Double delight as Shubman Gill's father & coach'

Tribune News Service

Mohali, January 18

It was a moment of joy for the family of cricketer Shubman Gill after he became the youngest player to score a double century in a One-Day International (ODI) match.

Gill slammed 208 off 149 balls against New Zealand in the first ODI match in Hyderabad on Wednesday.

With this feat, the 23-year-old Mohali cricketer has joined an elite league of Indian cricketers to score a double ton. As soon as he achieved the feat, celebrations erupted at his Mohali-based residence. Gill, who represents the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), scored his third century. It came on the back of a century in the final match of the Sri Lanka series.

Milestones achieved

• Shubman Gill has become the fifth player after Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan to score double tons for India in ODIs
• He has also become the fastest Indian to complete 1,000 runs in ODIs
• Gill becomes youngest player to score 200 runs in ODI match

‘Proud moment’

We enjoy every match of Indian team. It is my love for this game that I have worked hard with my son over the years. It’s a proud moment as a father and his (Shubman) coach. — Lakhwinder Singh, Father

“We enjoy every match of Indian team. It is my love for this game that I have worked hard with my son over the years to make him a cricketer. It’s a proud moment as a father as well as his (Shubman) coach,” said an elated Lakhwinder Singh, Shubman’s father.

“I have seen a tremendous improvement in him. His shot selection is getting better. I will tell him to continue playing. His hard work will surely pay off in the coming years,” said Lakhwinder.

Journey so far

In 2015, the former Mohali opener, who also captained the Punjab U-16 team, had made his state proud by amassing 1,018 runs in seven matches (including five centuries and three half-centuries) in the U-16 Vijay Merchant season. He was drafted to the India U-19 side as the vice-captain for the 2018 World Cup. In 2014, he slammed 351 in Punjab’s Inter-District U-16 Tournament and shared a record opening stand of 587 with Nirmal Singh. On his U-16 state debut for Punjab, he made an unbeaten double century in the Vijay Merchant Trophy. Later that year, he went on to share the stage with his idol Virat Kohli while receiving a BCCI award for the best junior cricketer, which he won for two successive years — 2013-14 and 2014-15.

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