After Mumbai Indians' exit from IPL 2023, Rohit Sharma will now focus on leading India in the World Test Championship final against Australia next month, and he hopes that Gujarat Titans' superstar Shubman Gill carries his rich vein of form to the big game in London.
Gill scored his third century of this IPL edition, a 60-ball 129, which powered Gujarat to within one win from defending the title they won in their debut season last year.
GT (233/3) beat Mumbai (171 all out) by 62 runs and will meet MS Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings in the final on Sunday. Mohit Sharma (5/10) starred with the ball for GT with a five-wicket haul.
Rohit said Gill made the difference in their loss to Gujarat Titans in IPL Qualifier 2 in Ahmedabad and hoped the opener continues his purple patch in India colours.
The WTC final begins June 7 at The Oval.
"Shubman batted well, wicket was good. They got 20-25 extra. We were positive after the first-half. We have to credit Shubman. I hope he continues that form," he said.
Rohit said Suryakumar Yadav and Cameron Green raised some hopes with their partnership, but he felt MI lost the game in the powerplay while chasing.
"Greeny and Surya batted well but we lost our way. We wanted to give it a good crack, be positive. We couldn't get going in the powerplay. We wanted one batter, like Gujarat did, and take the game deep where anything can happen on a good pitch and a ground with a small boundary. But credit to GT, who played well," he said.
The MI captain said Ishan Kishan's concussion didn't help the team either in its tall chase.
"Kishan's concussion was unexpected. It was a last-minute change. We had to adapt, to different conditions and situations. Not looking at that though," he said.
He preferred to take positives from the campaign despite failing to qualify for the final.
1/10:IPL 2023: Gill ton helps GT beat MI to reach final
TNN
2/10:Shubman Gill
<p>Red-hot Shubman Gill smashed his third century of the IPL season to help defending champions Gujarat Titans hammer Mumbai Indians by 62 runs on Friday and set up a final against Chennai Super Kings. </p>PTI
3/10:126 off 60
<p>Gill's 126 off 60 balls powered Gujarat to 233/3, a total they defended by bowling out five-time winners Mumbai for 171 in 18.2 overs in Qualifier 2 which started late due to rain in Ahmedabad. </p>IANS
4/10:10 sixes
<p>Gill hit 10 sixes in his knock and put on a second-wicket stand of 138 with Sai Sudharsan (43), to tear into the MI attack. </p>IANS
5/10:Orange Cap
<p>Gill became the leading batsman this season with 851 runs, surpassing RCB skipper Faf du Plessis (730), before he reached his IPL best and the top score of this season. </p>ANI
6/10:Costly chance
<p>Opener Gill made the most of a reprieve on 30 when Tim David dropped him off Chris Jordan. </p>PTI
7/10:49-ball ton
<p>The 23-year-old Gill brought up his fifty in 32 balls and then exploded to smash sixes and reach his hundred in 49 balls. </p>IANS
8/10:Gill departs
<p>Gill finally fell to Akash Madhwal and Sudharsan retired out before skipper Hardik Pandya (28*), and Rashid Khan finished the innings with 19 runs in the final over. </p>PTI
9/10:Ishan Kishan
<p>Mumbai's worries increased when Ishan Kishan was injured by team-mate Jordan's elbow and was later replaced by concussion substitute Vishnu Vinod. </p>Getty Images
10/10:Mohit Sharma
<p>Mohit Sharma took five wickets for Gujarat after a valiant 61 by Suryakumar Yadav. </p>ANI"Playing this game, qualifying and coming this far is big, the batting has been a big positive we can take into the next season. All the bowling teams have been challenged.
"We had a great performance last game. Tim's (David) been given a role this season," he said.
Winning captain Hardik Pandya said the clarity of thought in Gill's batting is helping him pile on the runs.
"I think the clarity and confidence he is carrying is amazing. Today's innings was one of the finest; he never looked rushed. It felt like someone was throwing balls and he was hitting. He will be a superstar in international and franchise cricket," said Hardik.
(With agency inputs)
