IPL 2023: Suresh Raina likens Shubman Gill to big game players Kohli, Dhoni and Rohit

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Ahmedabad, May 27: Former India cricketer turned expert Suresh Raina has praised Shubman Gill's ability to step up in big games following the Gujarat Titans opener's hundred in IPL 2023 Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians.

Gill smashed 129 off 60 balls in a must-win match against MI at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday (May 26). His knock that included 10 sixes and 7 fours helped defending champions GT seal their second successive final berth in IPL.

Gujarat Titans qualified for the 2023 TATA IPL Final after beating the Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 by 62 runs. The Titans put in a stunning performance with the bat, scoring 233 runs in the first innings.

Gill had a spectacular 129-run knock that opened the floodgates for GT. Mumbai tried hard with several batters getting a good start but were eventually bowled out with 10 deliveries remaining, scoring 171 runs.

Suryakumar Yadav top-scored with 61 runs (38b, 7x4, 2x6). A rematch against the Chennai Super Kings beckons, as CSK beat Gujarat in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday (May 23) to solidify their spot in the Finals.

Gill set the ground ablaze with his electric performance in the first innings that helped the Titans put up a formidable total. JioCinema TATA IPL expert Raina heaped high praise on the young opener.

"The calmness we saw. In such a big match, body language is very important. The sixes he hit later in the match, ones we call pick-up shots. He hit one off Kartikeya, and after that, he realized that he can come into the line and just hit pick-up shots," Raina said.

"I loved his body language, his self-confidence, self-belief, and he's gotten a habit of playing in big matches. Just look at Virat Kohli, as we saw last year with Jos Buttler. But the performance we saw tonight, whenever we have big games, he will perform as Virat, Rohit, and MS Dhoni have."

The Titans are on the verge of retaining their crown as TATA IPL Champions after their win last season in their debut as a franchise. JioCinema TATA IPL expert Anil Kumble lauded the continuity of the Gujarat side from last season to this.

"This season, they have just continued from where they left off last year. In that sense, credit to Hardik, credit to Ashish, and the rest of the players as well. The players have done really well," Kumble said.

The former India leg spinner also hailed how newcomers and players like Vijay Shankar have stepped up and also praised Mohit Sharma, who was the pick of the bowlers for GT.

"The addition of Josh Little, the addition of Noor Ahmed, I think these two have really helped them and the impact player rule as well, with the addition of Sai Sudarshan and Vijay Shankar coming in and doing their respective roles," Kumble added.

"Mohit Sharma was brilliant in the back-end, he'll take the five-wicket haul, but Suryakumar Yadav's wicket was the critical one."

Mohit's bowling has enabled great success for Gujarat all season and he stepped up big on Friday (May 26), ending the game with 5/10 figures in just 2.2 overs.

Another JioCinema TATA IPL expert Parthiv Patel called Sharma, who has claimed 24 wickets in 13 innings so far on his return to IPL action as one of the best comeback stories of the season.

"He bowled really well. We were discussing whether 233 runs can be chased on this wicket. The man didn't even complete his four-over spell but took five wickets," Patel said.

"This is a massive day for Mohit Sharma because of the way he was selected this year, last year he was a net bowler with this very team, so getting picked after that is a big deal. We have seen many comeback stories this year and Mohit Sharma's name should be there as well."

Defending champions Gujarat Titans will now face four-time champions Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2023 Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (May 28).