IPL 2023: Shubman Gill scores second IPL century as GT down RCB – ‘Truly the heir of Indian batting’

Sunday was always going to be blockbuster. It was the final day of the league stage of the IPL 2023, after all. The fourth spot in the points table was up for grabs and both Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore (and Rajasthan Royals) had a stake. And, it was a day for centuries.

Three tons were scored for the first time ever in this league.

First, Cameron Green did it for Mumbai Indians. Then, Virat Kohli put on a single-handed master-class to score his seventh IPL century for Royal Challengers Bangalore. And finally, Shubman Gill’s century proved to be the cherry on the cake and the knockout punch from Gujarat Titans to knock RCB out.

Only last week, Kohli was passing on the baton to Gill saying, “Go on and lead the next generation,” and on the rain-affected evening at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru both Kohli and Gill ended up scoring back-to-back centuries. It was both poetic and ironic.

With that unbeaten 104 off 52, Gill has registered four T20 centuries overall. He continued his imperious form this year in the IPL, scoring 680 runs at an average of 56.67. He is only behind Faf Du Plessis’ 730 runs in the leading run-scorers list. He has a chance to better these numbers as GT now enter the playoffs.

Against RCB, he exhibited a calculated, composed knock comprising of eight sixes and five fours and it eventually proved to be the difference for GT, who won by six wickets.

Here’s a look at the reactions to the century:

The result allowed five-time winners Mumbai Indians to fill the fourth and final play-off spot after they hammered Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets in the first match of the day.

Gill starred in the final group match with a 52-ball knock that steered Gujarat to victory with five balls to spare.

Gill hit the winning six to raise his second straight ton.

“As a bowler, Gill doesn’t give you a chance,” Gujarat skipper Hardik Pandya said of his star batsman, who put on a key 123-run stand with Vijay Shankar, who made 53.

“Other batters also get confidence from it.”

Kohli hit his second successive hundred and seventh in the IPL to overtake Chris Gayle’s six and steer Bangalore to 197-5 in a match that started an hour late due to rain in Bengaluru.

The effort was in vain as Kohli’s wait for an elusive IPL title goes on for another year.

“A lot of people think that my T20 cricket is declining, I don’t feel like that at all. I think I am playing my best T20 cricket again,” said Kohli after an innings which featured 13 fours and a six.

“I’m just enjoying myself. This is how I play T20 cricket.”

Mumbai will play Lucknow Super Giants, who became the third team to make the play-offs on Saturday, in the eliminator next week.

Table-toppers Gujarat and second-placed Chennai Super Kings will clash in the first qualifier on Tuesday.

The winner of Qualifier 1 will head straight to the final in Ahmedabad on May 28 and the loser will play the winner of the eliminator.

Kohli started strongly in a 67-run opening partnership with skipper Faf du Plessis, who made 28 to stay on top of the batting chart with 730 runs.

Kohli, who made a match-winning 100 in Bangalore’s previous game, had moved behind Du Plessis in the batting list with 639 runs but Gill toppled the senior star to take second spot with 674 runs.

“Virat played an unbelievable knock to give us a chance and thought that was a good score,” said Du Plessis. “But Shubman played incredibly well to take the game away from us.”