Kohli and Gill were exceptional but…: Tom Moody decodes both hundreds by Indian stars

In the dark of night, witnessing an unexpected turn of events, the king confronts his successor. Contrary to popular expectations, Royal Challengers Bangalore, despite Virat Kohli’s remarkable back-to-back centuries, succumbed to defeat, effectively ending their chances of making the playoffs in IPL 2023. It was Prince in the form of Shubman Gill, who crushed RCB. Hopes. Following in the footsteps of his “idol”, Gill scored his second consecutive hundred as Gujarat Titans won by six wickets in Qualifier 1 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

From scoring back-to-back brilliant centuries courtesy of match-winning partnerships _

Presenting Chase Specials from Bangalore Ft. @Shubman Gill And @vijayshankar260 ____ – By @rajal arora

full interview __ #TATAIPL , #RCBvGT pic.twitter.com/qN901Aq5bQ– Indian Premier League (@IPL) May 22, 2023

Both centuries were exceptional in their own right, yet one made a more significant impact, leading former Australian cricketer Tom Moody to make a bold comment comparing the two remarkable centuries. Virat Kohli, the player who faced criticism for most of IPL 2023 for his strike rate and T20 batting abilities, made a triumphant comeback, silencing his critics in style. After scoring a 62-ball century against Sunrisers Hyderabad in RCB’s second to last match, he repeated the feat in a crucial do-or-die match against Gujarat Titans.

This century propelled him to the top of the table, surpassing Chris Gayle as the player with the most centuries in IPL history – seven in total. However, despite his incredible century, it fell short. Similar discussions were held outside Ahmedabad regarding Shubman Gill’s performance. While Gill had excellent numbers at the Narendra Modi Stadium this season, best by a batsman at any specific position, his performances outside that position have been weak. Nevertheless, with an unbeaten 104 off just 52 balls, he silenced those critics and finished GT’s league phase in impressive fashion.

During an interview with ESPNCricinfo, Tom Moody expressed his admiration for Gill’s batting skills. While he acknowledged Kohli’s century, he could not contain his enthusiasm for Gill’s composed batting technique and calm approach to chasing down the target. The former Sunrisers Hyderabad coach then highlighted the “significant difference” between the two centuries, attributing this to the number of sixes hit by each player. While Kohli hit only one six, Gill hit eight sixes.

“He’s an absolute joy to watch. He exudes composure at the crease. Just by looking at his facial expressions and body language, you can see he’s in complete control. He’s got a remarkable skill set. Eight Sixes! That was the distinguishing factor between the two hundreds. Both were exceptional hundreds, but Kohli hit only one six, while Gill hit eight of them and maintained a strike rate of 200,” Moody praised.

Gill and Gujarat Titans will now turn their attention to the Chepauk Stadium, where they will face Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Kohli is reportedly set to travel to England tomorrow for the World Test Championship final.