GT's larger-than life projection, Abhishek's red-rose, mentor's wishes: How cricketing world wished Shubman Gill on 26th birthday

New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI): Gujarat Titans (GT) wished their skipper Shubman Gill a very happy 26th birthday in a grand style, with a spectacular projection in Ahmedabad, lighting up the city.

On the projection by GT, it was written, "Gujarat Ka Dil, Shubman Gill".

The larger-than-life tribute was the highlight of the team's celebration that reflected the skipper's special bond with Gujarat Titans supporters.

Gill has been captaining GT for the past two seasons, making it to playoffs this year following a finish in the bottom half of the table last year. He ended this year's Indian Premier League (IPL) as the fourth-highest run-getter with 650 runs at an average of 50.00, with a strike rate of 155.88, including six half-centuries and a best score of 93*.

The 26-year-old is also the leading run-getter in franchise's history, which won the title with Gill in their debut season back in 2022. With 2,449 runs in 60 matches, including four centuries and 16 fifties in 60 innings at a strike rate of almost 150, he is GT's top run-getter. He also won the 'Orange Cap' and 'Player of the Tournament' honours for his 890-run season back in 2023, consisting of four centuries and fifties each. In that year, GT finished as runners-up to Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with Gill accomplishing the second-best tally in a single IPL season by a batter, next to Virat Kohli's 973 runs in the 2016 season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Combining runs with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) scored from 2018 to 2022, Gill has already scored 3,866 runs in 118 matches at an average of 39.44, at a strike rate of 138.71, with four centuries and 26 fifties.

Also, Gill's Punjab and India teammate Abhishek Sharma, a very close friend of his since age-group cricket days, wished him a very happy birthday by funnily gifting him a red rose. He posted an Instagram story captioned, "Mubarka janamdinn diya Gill saab (Birthday wishes to Gill). Abhishek was seen smiling, with Gill hilariously trying to bury his head under his hand.

India's World Cup winning all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who played a crucial role in fine tuning Gill's skillset as a mentor of his, also wished him on his official X handle, posting, "Wishing you a very Happy Birthday Gill saab. Here's to another year of smashing it around the park and raising the bar even higher, god bless and good luck for the Asia cup! @ShubmanGill."

https://x.com/YUVSTRONG12/status/1964941402628075796

Since his debut, Gill has made 37 Test appearances, garnered 2,647 runs at 41.35, with nine centuries and seven fifties in 69 innings. In 55 ODIs, the 26-year-old boasts a tally of 2,775 at an impressive average of 59.04, with eight centuries and 15 fifties. In 21 T20Is, Gill has managed 578 runs at 30.42, striking at almost 140, with a century and three fifties. He will return to the field on Tuesday while serving as T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav's deputy in the Asia Cup. (ANI)

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