Champions Trophy 2025: 'Gill is next big thing in international cricket,' feels former SA batting great
Sports, Cricket: Gill, named India's vice-captain for the Champions Trophy, retook the No. 1 spot in ODI rankings for batters on the opening day of the tournament
South African batting legend Hashim Amla has heaped praise on India’s young opener, Shubman Gill, labelling him as the 'next big thing' in international cricket alongside Rishabh Pant and South Africa’s Ryan Rickelton.
Gill, 25, has had a stellar start to his ODI career and was recently named India’s vice-captain for the ongoing Champions Trophy. He reclaimed the No. 1 spot in the ICC ODI rankings for batters on the tournament's opening day, a position he first achieved in 2023. The dynamic right-hander started his campaign with a match-winning century against Bangladesh and followed it up with a crucial 46 against Pakistan, guiding India to two successive wins.
"For India, you have Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant has been around for a while. For South Africa, Ryan Rickelton has been outstanding of late," Amla said.
"Every country sees two or three young players rise to prominence every five years, and these names could be the next big stars in international cricket," Amla,currently playing for South Africa Masters in the International Masters League, was quoted saying to PTI.
Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: AUS vs SA match washed out, points shared
Amla lauded Gill’s contributions, particularly his role at the top of the order for India."He is a brilliant player. The way he has started his ODI career has been exceptional. He has played a crucial role in India's success," Amla said. "Having him alongside Rohit Sharma creates a potent and dangerous opening partnership, and then you have Virat Kohli at No. 3. That’s a formidable top order."
Discussing South Africa’s prospects in the Champions Trophy, Amla expressed confidence in their batting lineup, particularly their preparation against spin.
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"South African batters are well-equipped. The recent tour of Pakistan gave them valuable practice against spin. They’ve also had consistent success," he said.
Amla highlighted key players in the Proteas’ middle order:"You've got Heinrich Klaasen, who has been excellent against spinners. David Miller has been a fantastic finisher, and Aiden Markram is a crucial player in the middle order. Temba Bavuma is solid at the top, and Rickelton has proven himself against spin over the last year and a half."
'India and SA are strong contenders'
Amla believes both India and South Africa have strong chances of winning the Champions Trophy."India has had a fantastic team over the last 15 years, so they obviously have a great chance," he said. "South Africa also looks well-balanced with strong batting and bowling. They have an excellent shot at making the top four and, hopefully, winning the title."
Reflecting on South Africa’s recent performances, including their appearances in the T20 World Cup final and the World Test Championship final against Australia, Amla praised the team’s resilience.
"Reaching the WTC final was a great achievement. People may talk about different opponents, but South Africa played the teams in their group and performed exceptionally well to get there," he said. "It’s going to be a great final. Australia is a competitive team, but in Test cricket, one or two players can turn the game, and South Africa could be champions."