Virat Kohli reacts to Gill’s maiden T20I hundred, calls him ‘Sitara’

Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill
| Photo Credit: AFP

India’s star batter Virat Kohli reacted to young batting sensation Shubhman Gill’s maiden T20I hundred against New Zealand on Wednesday and touted him as a future superstar, calling him a ‘Sitara’.

The opener played a sensational knock of 126* runs in just 63 balls and helped India clinch the three-match T20I series 2-1, after losing the first match in Ranchi. His entertaining knock was decorated with 12 fours and seven sixes. He scored his runs at a strike rate of 200.

Sharing a message for the India opener on his Instagram, Virat said, “Sitara (Star). The future is here”. Previously, the highest score in T20I by an Indian batter was by Virat Kohli, who had smashed 122* against Afghanistan during the Asia Cup last year in September.

At the age of 23 years and 146 days, Gill is the youngest batter to have a century in each format of the sport. He is also the fifth batter to have centuries for India in all formats of the game. Four other such batters are Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli.

Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 126 followed by an all-round performance from captain Hardik Pandya helped India bundle out New Zealand for 66 to register a mammoth 168-run victory over Blackcaps in the third and final T20I of the three-match series.

India thumped New Zealand by 168 runs – the biggest win by a Full Member against another in the men’s T20I. With this win, Team India clinched the three-match T20I series 2-1.

Daryl Mitchell was the top scorer for New Zealand with 35 in 25 deliveries. While India captain Pandya starred with both bat and ball as he scored a crucial 30 off 17 and scalped 4 wickets conceding just 16 runs in his spell of 4 overs.