Irfan Pathan names one cricketer who has potential to 'rule all formats' like Virat Kohli

Former Indian bowler Irfan Pathan has praised India batsman Shubman Gill for his brilliant performances off late in the recent matches. Shubman has had a dream start to 2023 as he has already scored 4 hundreds in the first two months of the year and can also score more if he continues to bat the way he is batting now. 

Pathan: Kohli ruled all formats for many years, this batsman has as much potential

Praising Shubman, Irfan said during a conversation with Star Sports, "The way he is batting, I am a huge fan of his. I am repeatedly saying that he can become an all-format player for you. Virat Kohli ruled all formats for many years, this batter has as much potential. To convert that into performance is a different thing." 

"That happens with time but Shubman Gill has started to do that. He scored his first century in August. Gill has now scored a total of six centuries in international cricket and we have just started February, where all other players have scored just four international centuries", Pathan added. 

Pathan also said that Shubman is improving his game day by day and doesn't feel any fear in hitting the fast bowlers all around the ground. 

"He is improving his game. The challenge before Shubman Gill in T20 cricket was whether his strike rate can improve once he gets set - we definitely saw that. We saw amazing shots today - on the up, the pull shots, and against the spin", Pathan said. 

"He doesn't have any problems against pace, which we saw again today. Apart from playing the pull shots, he hit big shots against the pacers straight down the ground as well and we saw a mini-helicopter too", Pathan concluded. 

Shubman played a blistering 126 run knock off 64 balls which included 12 fours and 7 gigantic sixes. Shubman also became the 5th and the youngest Indian player to hit centuries in all three formats. 

Shubman was not able to perform in the first two T20I's and many critics claimed that Shubman is not a T20I player but with this innings he has given a strong reply to critics and has also cemented his place in the Indian team.