SHUBMAN GILL CLIMBS TO CAREERBEST SIXTH SPOT AMONG BATTERS

Young Indian batter Shubman Gill climbed up 20 places to reach a career-best of number six in the latest ICC Men’s ODI Rankings among batters issued on Wednesday. His rise comes after a brilliant series against New Zealand, which saw him walk away with the ‘Man of the Series’ award after scoring 360 runs in three innings, which includes a double century in the first ODI and a ton in the final ODI. Gill is enjoying a brilliant 2023 in ODIs, having scored 567 runs in six innings at an average of 113.40.

He has three ODI tons and a fifty this year, with the best score of 208. He crossed the 2,000- run mark in international cricket on Tuesday against New Zealand. Gill continued with his consistency, making the best of every opportunity he has received as an opener. He smashed 112 runs in just 78 balls. His knock consisted of 13 fours and five sixes. His innings came at a strike rate of 143.58. Now in 37 matches, across 49 innings, Gill has scored 2,048 runs at an average of 47.62.

He has five centuries and nine fifties in international cricket with the best individual score of 208. In Test cricket, Gill has scored 736 runs in 13 matches across 25 innings at an average of 32.00. He has one century and four half-centuries in the format, with the best score of 110. Gill has scored 1,254 runs in 21 ODIs and an equal number of innings at an average of 73.76. He has scored four centuries and five half-centuries in the format, with the best score of 208.

The batter has played three T20Is for India, scoring 58 runs at an average of 19.33 in three matches, with best of 46. In this match, the 23-yearold batter added another record to his list, becoming the Indian with the most number of runs in a threematch ODI series. Gill ended the threematch ODI series against the Kiwis with 360 runs in three matches at an average of 180. He has two centuries in this series, with the best score of 208.

Previously, Virat Kohli had smashed the most runs by an Indian in an ODI series. He had recently scored 283 runs in three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, which also included two centuries and a best of 166. He has equalled Pakistan skipper Babar Azam, who also scored 360 runs in a three-match ODI series against West Indies in 2016, smashing a century in each match. Gill rises in front of veteran Virat Kohli in seventh, while Rohit jumps two places to equal eighth after his quickfire hundred against the Kiwis in Indore.