IPL 2023: Means a lot, my hard work is going in the right direction – Shubman Gill after winning MVP of the tournament

Gujarat Titans opener Shubman Gill was the brightest star of IPL 2023 as he played at the top of his game to deliver the goods for the franchise. Gill played an instrumental role in taking GT to the summit clash of the tournament as he consistently provided his team with solid starts.

The youngster amassed 890 runs in 17 matches of IPL 2023 at an average of 59.33 and an impressive strike rate of 157.80 to finish as the leading run-getter of the tournament and bagged the Orange Cap. Gill has been in ticking the right boxes in 2023 and he was able to carry his limited-overs form in the IPL.

The 23-year-old timed the ball to perfection and delivered the goods for the Hardik Pandya-led team. Gill scored three centuries in the season but he was dismissed after scoring 39 runs off just 20 balls in the all-important final against Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, which GT lost by five wickets (DLS method).

The right-hander was looking good as he scored seven fours in his knock but was dismissed after lightning-fast stumping from CSK skipper MS Dhoni.

Gill has certainly shown that he is the future of Indian cricket and he elevated his batting to a different level in the 16th season of the IPL. The right-hander will want to continue the good show in the all-important World Test Championship final against Australia, which will begin on June 7 at the Oval.

Shubman Gill said in the post-match presentation, “Means a lot, my hard work is going in the right direction. We couldn’t win the final, but it was one hell of a game. It is very important to start well and I started well, I was getting 40s and 50s and at the end of the tournament I converted them into big ones.”

He added, “(On his six hitting) I practiced a lot, changed my technique for the death, and it has been good. All the hundreds were quite different, the SRH one was about control and MI one was about knowing which bowlers to go after. I picked the right bowlers, and controlled the situation well.”

Gill has impressed in his young career and he will look to carry the good show. The talisman is expected to break many records if he continues to bat in a similar fashion.