West Indies cricket legend Brian Lara has singled out Indian batsman Shubman Gill as the player most likely to surpass his monumental world records of 501* and 400*.
Brian Lara, the only cricketer to achieve a quadruple century in Tests, achieved his highest Test score of 400* against England in 2004. He also holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket, scoring an unbeaten 501* for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994.
In a conversation with an Indian publication, Lara expressed his confidence in Gill, labelling the 24-year-old as the most talented batter of the current generation. He strongly believes that Gill possesses the potential to break multiple records throughout his career.
Lara remarked, “Shubman Gill can break both my records. Gill is the most talented batter in this new generation. He will rule cricket in the coming years. I believe he will go on to break many big records. He (Gill) can do it (break my records).”
Lara attributed the changing landscape of cricket, especially in batting, to the meteoric rise in scoring rates, notably influenced by the proliferation of T20 leagues worldwide.
He emphasized, “If Gill plays County cricket, then he can break my 501*. In Test cricket, he can surely go past 400. Cricket has changed a lot, especially batting. Batters play T20 leagues across the globe. IPL has changed everything. The scoring rate has gone up. So you will keep seeing big scores. Shubman will score big, mark my words.”
However, despite Gill’s remarkable performances in limited-overs cricket, including a double century and a century in ODIs and T20Is, his red-ball form has been less consistent. With an average of only 32.20 in 18 Test matches, Gill’s journey in the longer format of the game remains a work in progress.
Stay tuned to Brandsynario for the latest news and updates.