Shreyas Iyer yet to catch up with the brilliance of Shubman Gill? Manjrekar draws comparison

India is riding high on the sublime form of the vice-captain, Shubman Gill. In the match that marked his debut in the ICC Champions Trophy, the 25-year-old smashed a ton to lead India to a victory against Bangladesh. While Bangladesh spinners troubled the Indian batting lineup in Dubai, Gill, solely, proved enough to claim a 6-wicket victory in the campaign opener. The century marked his second consecutive ton in the format, as he closed the England series with a ton in Ahmedabad. The batter has now notched eight centuries in the format. Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar lauded Gill’s performance, emphasizing that the right-hander is batting in the ideal position to maximize his impact.

Shubman Gill looks at his best as he continues to dazzle in the ODI format. The phase where the youngster was criticized left, right, and center for his Border Gavaskar Trophy performance seems like a distant memory. Four matches since the return of India to the 50-over format, Gill has justified his selection as the team's vice-captain and the designated opener. Currently ranked No.1 in the ICC ODI batters' rankings, Gill is averaging 62.51. Gill's presence in the Indian batting lineup which has a struggling Virat Kohli and an unpredictable middle order with the position swap between Axar Patel and KL Rahul, is the most crucial aspect in their victory chances.

Chasing 229 against Bangladesh, India found themselves in a tricky situation at 144/4, but Gill, alongside KL Rahul, ensured there were no further hiccups for Rohit Sharma’s side. Their steady partnership helped India comfortably chase down the target, sealing the win with 21 balls to spare. While KL Rahul impressed with his 41-run knock, the highlight remained the vice captain. Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer, who showed his consistency in the England series faltered against Bangladesh in the ICC Champions Trophy clash.

While commending Shubman Gill, Manjrekar pointed out a key distinction between him and Shreyas Iyer. He remarked that Gill possesses the ability to notch centuries even when operating at just 60 percent of his full potential.

"It was like 60% of Shubman Gill is enough to get a hundred like this and he stays till the end. That is the difference between Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill that Gill will take you right till the end. He is somebody who you think is going to be around for 10-15 years. Shreyas Iyer, despite his obvious talent, doesn't give you that impression," Sanjay Manjrekar said following India's victory.