Go on and lead the next generation: Virat Kohli lauds Shubman Gill after GT opener's maiden IPL ton

Shubman Gill headlined Hardik Pandya-led Gujarat Titans' (GT) 34-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) as the defending champions qualified for the IPL 2023 playoffs. Meanwhile, SRH bowed out of the playoff race with another defeat in their dismal campaign. Gill's 58-ball 101, laced with 13 fours and one six, struck at174.14 and slammed some sublime shots in all parts of the ground to now become only the fifth Indian -- after Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli -- to have hit centuries in IPL, Tests, ODIs and T20Is.

Gill has been growing in stature with each passing month. Since mid-2022, the right-hander has been on a run-scoring spree with hundreds in ODIs, Tests, T20Is and now in the IPL. He has been regarded as one of the superstar young batters of Indian cricket and Kohli lauded him after his maiden IPL century. Here's what Kohli wrote for Gill after his first-ever IPL hundred -

After starring in GT's convincing win over SRH, in Ahmedabad, on Monday evening (May 15), Gill said at the post-match presentation, "I made my IPL debut against SRH and got my first hundred against them, so life has come a full circle. Hopefully, many more to come. It's all about the bowlers and situation and I don't dwell much on my last innings. It is important to focus on the situation in front. The six off Abhishek Sharma was the most pleasing thing for me. I told him that if you bowl to me I'm gonna hit you for a six. (ICYMI: Gill and Abhishek Sharma open for Punjab in domestic T20 cricket)."

Talking about the match, Hyderabad opted to bowl first as Gill's 101 took GT to 188/9 with Bhuvneshwar Kumar returning with 5 for 30. In reply, SRH only managed 154 for 9 with Mohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami claiming four scalps each.