'The biggest blunder a franchise has made': NZ legend rips apart KKR for baffling decision

Shubman Gill delivered an extraordinary batting performance in the IPL 2023 Qualifier 2, propelling the Gujarat Titans to a resounding victory over the Mumbai Indians. Gill's remarkable third century of the season not only led his team to a record-breaking total but also secured their place in the IPL final for the second year in a row.

Scott Styris, the former New Zealand cricketer, has voiced his belief that Shubman Gill's release from KKR "will be remembered as one of the biggest blunders made by a franchise." Styris further stated that the 23-year-old Gill would serve as the "backbone" of the Indian team.

The biggest blunder in IPL history

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"I still believe that his release from KKR will go down as the biggest blunder a franchise has made. The only other one was KL Rahul from RCB. However, there is an age advantage here. Gill is still a very young man, he has got a lot of growth in his game. He can not only be the star for this GT star, especially after the next World Cup, but he will also be the backbone of this Indian side. And I think he will embrace that," Styris said on JioCinema.

"We have seen the evolution of Baby GOAT, from his KKR days to now in GT. He was getting starts, and out of nowhere, he would get out. But he is converting those. He has made the adjustments to his game. He has taken the responsibility, he is happy to be the mainstay of this batting line-up. And he is looking like Virat Kohli back in the day as well, in the sense that he is in total control of his game. He is not having to thrash the ball or go after the bowling. He just hits the bad ball," Styris added.

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Shubman Gill in IPL 2023

Having emerged as the leading run-scorer in IPL 2023, Gill exhibited exceptional mastery against the MI bowlers, crafting a meticulous knock of 129 runs. Gill reached his half-century in a mere 32 balls. As the innings progressed, Gill's scoring rate soared even higher. He smashed his next fifty runs off only 17 balls. The explosive knock by Gill included seven boundaries and an impressive tally of 10 sixes, propelling the Titans to their highest-ever IPL total of 233 runs.

Gill currently holds the IPL 2023 Orange Cap with 851 runs in 16 matches. Since his departure from the Kolkata Knight Riders before the 2022 IPL auction, Gill has become a pivotal player for the Gujarat Titans. He was acquired by the Titans for INR 8 crore ahead of the 2022 mega auction. Gill will next be seen playing for GT in the final of IPL 2023 on Monday. 

Image: BCCI