Ex-India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan has heaped praise on young and talented Shubman Gill, who has been in exceptional form during the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy.
Gill is leading the runs tally for India in this tournament so far, with an unbeaten century against Bangladesh and a solid 46-run knock against Pakistan.
Dhawan lauded Gill's batting style, describing it as classy and elegant, with a consistent approach and professionalism beyond his years.
“I simply love Shubman Gill's batting, it's very classy and there's elegance in his batting. And there's consistency; it feels good to see that there's so much professionalism. There are young boys, they know how to play their role well and are making back-to-back runs. He's got a great present and future for India," Dhawan told Star Sports.
The former opener also appreciated the experienced Rohit Sharma for his leadership and guidance, adding, "Rohit enjoys playing with youngsters and he must be sharing his many years of experience with them. I'm sure he must be patting them (on the back) and telling them how to play in given situations. These small communications are very important."
Despite the absence of ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Dhawan acknowledged that it presents an opportunity for Harshit Rana to secure his place in the ODI side.
“Jasprit Bumrah is a very big name, a very big bowler. He is such a consistent performer there. Of course, his presence was missed a lot. Whether anybody says anything or not, I feel 100 % that his presence is very important. It is a very good platform for Harshit Rana. He has passion and aggression, and I like the way he picks up wickets. Great opportunity for him, there’s Rohit's guidance, and Virat as well. He should learn from them and hold on to this opportunity," Dhawan said.
Having defeated Bangladesh and Pakistan in their first two Group A matches, India have already qualified for the semi-final. The Men in Blue will face New Zealand in their last group fixture on Sunday (Match 2) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Irrespective of their standings in the points table, the Rohit Sharma-led side will play the first semi-final in Dubai on March 4.
