Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan reckoned that Shubman Gill could very well be the next Virat Kohli and quipped that he was fully capable of doing so. His remarks come after the Punjab batter, who is also the Test and ODI captain, has been snubbed from the squad for the T20 World Cup 2026. Pathan claimed that Gill will would grow further in the game with more responsibility he gets and the more challenges he faces.
Can Gill become the new Kohli?
Speaking on JioStar, Pathan recalled that Rahul Dravid had told him on his entry into the Indian team at the age of 19 that things would only get tougher for him in the future. He remarked that the same will apply for Gill as well, noting that while Virat was compared to Sachin Tendulkar, the Punjab batter is now being compared to the former. Pathan noted that by giving Gill the Test and ODI captaincy, the star got an opportunity to grow further.
“He (Gill) has a lot of talent. There will always be comparisons. Virat was compared with Sachin and now Gill is being compared to Virat, who has scored those 25000-30000 runs. I think he is fully capable of it. He has a fine range of shots. The more responsibility and challenges he gets, he will grow as a cricketer. I have seen that he is always ready for cricket,” Pathan stated.
Gill was prolific in Tests in 2025, topping the list of leading run getters in the ongoing WTC cycle with 950 runs to his name at an average of 79.16, including five hundreds and one half-century. While the Punjab batter fared well in ODIs in 2025, amassing 490 runs from 11 matches at an average of 49, his performance in T20Is has been quite poor. After a string of poor performances in the Asia Cup 2025 and the series against AUS and SA, Gill was subsequently excluded from the squad for the T20 World Cup 2026.
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