Shubman Gill, who bought by KKR ahead of IPL 2018, was released after just four seasons.© BCCI/IPL
Former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris believes that Shubman Gill‘s release from Kolkata Knight Riders will go down as the biggest blunder in the history of franchise cricket. Gill, who is the leading run scorer in IPL 2023, has scored 851 runs in Gujarat Titans’ road to the final this year. Gill, who bought by KKR ahead of IPL 2018, spent four seasons with the two-time champions. KKR released him ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. GT, however, were quick to pounce on him as they drafted Gill ahead of the auction.
Since then, the 23-year-old has been crucial in their road to back-to-back IPL finals.
“I still believe that his release from KKR will go down as the biggest blunder a franchise has made. The only other one was KL Rahul from RCB. However, there is age advantage here. Gill is still a very young man, he has got a lot of growth in his game,” Styris told Jio Cinema.
Ahead of the IPL 2023, which was shifted to Monday due to rain on Sunday, Styris said that Gill, who he calls baby G.O.A.T, would become the “backbone” of the Indian team in the future.
“He can not only be the star for this GT star, especially after the next World Cup, he will be the backbone of this Indian side. And I think he will embrace that,” he added.
Gill has scored three centuries this year in the IPL, and needs 123 runs to surpass Virat Kohli‘s total of 973 runs in 2016, which is the most by a player in a single edition.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms in Ahmedabad on Sunday forced the IPL final between holders GT and CSK into a reserve day for the first time in the competition’s history.
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