This IPL has been a roller-coaster ride. The 2023 edition of the IPL has reached its climax. To borrow a bar phrase, if it needed another shot, it was delivered by Shubman Gil. It is impossible to describe his batting with more than a few adjectives. It is a human object of beauty that cannot be reproduced as a model. How long can a young man continue to push his body and its boundaries?
VSTOL is a strategy that allows powerful fighter jets to take off quickly and safely. Vertical short take-offs and landings are very useful on short airstrips. Jets can be launched into the sky in just a few short seconds with a sonic blast. Shubman Gil has also positioned Shubman himself in the same way as that aircraft performing a VSTOL and then soaring into the sky.
It’s just that the man, machine, and maestro are doing these sorties so precisely in the white ball format, you get scared. Only fear is if he failed, how could he recover.
Gill, right now in T20 format is like a four-legged predator that devours ground at a rapid pace to attack its prey. Gill also eats up the bowlers from all sides. His attack mode is not ugly, but it benumbs everyone, both fielders and bowlers. It does put fans into a state where they can’t describe anything, but only feel. It’s an emotion. A high. The Gill gala in the IPL was powerful and melodic at the same. There have always been bowlers who destroyed the game of T20 cricket. One man is now in his new role as a commentator: Chris Gayle.
Comparisons are not the right thing to do. Each batter has his own trademark, or patent. The Gill template is impressive, as fans believed that a certain SKY Suryakumar Yadav could transport fans to a mental state where they would be left in a trance. Suryakumar’s mesmerizing performance in 2022 was a testament to his talent. Perhaps the comparisons with AB de Villiers 360-degree batting and 360-degree batting was an overdose.
Suryakumar did also attempt a Gill Friday night. These two men had to guide the fortunes for the two teams Gujarat Titans, and Mumbai Indians. Gill’s ability to make fans scream, cry, cheer, and clap while he whipped the opposing bowling attack is what we call beast mode. The beast mode is usually associated with aggression. For example, a road roller rolling on a tar-road flattens the surface.
Maybe Gill is unstoppable, and accurate, like the JCB Bulldozer. His three centuries in IPL 2023 are proof that the demolition is done within minutes. It remains to be determined if he can pull off another heist on Sunday for GT — Gujarat Titans against CSK — Chennai Super Kings.
Gill needs to be groomed for leadership roles in Team India
Gill is a master of artistry and creative expression. He has a sensual and sublime touch. Gill makes fans fall in love, much like the daughter of a cricketing icon. Gill is not a robotic machine, so there is the fear that he will fail. Virat Kohli is the only person who has come close to him in terms centuries scored in the IPL.
The hard facts about the IPL have revealed one man in a big way, Rohit Singh. Rohit’s biggest advantage as the leader of Team India for the Test and ODI format is that he enjoys the support of the Bombay lobby. Sunny Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri, and Sanjay Mannjrekar act like court jesters. Many former cricketers won’t speak out against Mumbai Indians because of their financial strength. It was a lucky coincidence that MI reached the final four. The fact that MI failed is like MI, or myocardial ischemia, in medical terms, which is heart attack.
The failure of Team MI has been a heartbreaking experience for the blue brigade and their fans. There were smiles when Mumbai Indians made it to the final four of this IPL by doing a victory lap in the Wankhede Stadium with Cameron Green smashing a century. Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma were also there. What has Rohit left his fans with today? It is his second IPL that he has let the richest IPL team down. In 16 IPL matches, he has had poor performances.
He had no impact on the game as a captain or player. It’s time for MI to seriously consider the value and utility of Rohit. MI is losing money these days when IPL franchises treat the tournament so seriously from a business standpoint. The think-tank may dissect Rohit.
Rohit’s poor form is also frustrating from an Indian perspective. From June 7, he will fly to England and take the lead in the ICC Test Championship Final against Australia. In October/November, he will lead India at the ICC ODI World Cup. Will the BCCI continue to use a skipper who has failed, a batter with body language that resembles a character forgetting his lines in the middle a play on stage?
This play is different from cricket. In a play performed on stage, a prompter may be used. Cricket is not the sport for prompters. You must push yourself to the limit and set an example. Rohit looked like a fraud in 16 IPL matches. His shelf life may be coming to an ending. In white ball cricket, there is a succession strategy where HardikPandya will be the ultimate leader in both formats – ODI and T20. He will be leading India in all ICC T20 Internationals, including next year’s World Cup.
The BCCI must find a replacement for Hardik. Shubman Gil comes to mind. He could be groomed to become the next vice captain, Pandya’s deputy. Gill is a leader with the right mental makeup. In Indian cricket, there is currently a leadership vacuum. There is no doubt about it. The BCCI bosses should wake up to the fact that they are wasting their time. The Gill flavor is strong and has a strong aroma. You should go for him.
