Had we not won the 2011 World Cup, would I be as inspired? Maybe, maybe not: Shubman Gill

Gujarat Titans’ (GT) rising sensation Shubman Gill played down the comparisons to legendary Indian players made by fans and experts on the back of his breakthrough season. The young opener has been in excellent form across all three formats and is now the Orange Cap holder in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2023 (IPL).

The 23-year-old amassed 851 runs in 16 matches this season with an average of 60.78, including three centuries and four fifties. He also became the second Indian batter after Virat Kohli to reach the 800-run mark in a single IPL season. Notably, his steady performances have drawn comparisons to renowned batters like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli.

Tendulkar and Kohli, according to the 23-year-old, have inspired many youngsters of this generation. He also pondered if there would have been a Sachin Tendulkar if India hadn't won the World Cup in 1983. He also added that he may or may not be inspired if India hadn't won the World Cup in 2011. He further added that the legacies are immortal, and nobody really can define them.

"The generation that all of these people - Sachin sir (Tendulkar) sir, Virat (Kohli) bhai, Rohit Sharma - have inspired is beyond. Had we not won the '83 World Cup, had there been a Sachin Tendulkar? No. Had we not won the 2011 World Cup, would I be as inspired? Maybe, maybe not. These kinds of legacies are immortal; you can’t really define them,” Gill was quoted as saying by Sportskeeda.

Apart from his accomplishments in the 16th edition of the cash-rich league, Gill also earned his first set of centuries in both the longest and shortest format of the game. The Punjab-born cricketer also played an important role in team India's home season, where he became the fourth Indian player to hit a double-hundred in a 50-over match.