Champions Trophy: Ricky Ponting Hails Shubman Gill's Century Against Bangladesh, Says "Thoroughly Deserves To Be No. 1"

February 22, 2025: Former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has praised Shubman Gill for his exceptional form in the 2025 Champions Trophy after the Indian opener scored a brilliant century to help India beat Bangladesh by six wickets. Gill's knock not only guided India to victory but also reinforced his status as one of the most consistent white-ball players in the world.

Speaking on The ICC Review podcast, Ponting expressed admiration for Gill, who recently achieved the No. 1 ranking in men's ODIs. Ponting noted that while Gill's form in Test cricket has not yet matched his dominance in the shorter formats, his performances in ODIs and the IPL have been outstanding. "He's been a very, very good international player for a number of years," Ponting said. "His white-ball cricket over the last three or four years has been outstanding."

Ponting highlighted Gill's ability to excel early in the innings during the powerplay, using good, aggressive cricketing shots to find boundaries, especially against fast bowlers. "He's not a big hitter, he's not anyone that goes out there and tries to do anything outside of the way that he can naturally play," Ponting explained. "He just scores, he scores boundaries almost at will against fast bowling, against the white ball."

Ponting also noted that Gill is a "big game player," having shown his talent in the IPL as well as in international cricket. His leadership qualities were also lauded by Ponting, who observed that Gill is driven and has big ambitions in the leadership role.

Following his century against Bangladesh, Gill has further cemented his place as a key player for India in their pursuit of the 2025 Champions Trophy. His composure, ability to adapt, and growing leadership potential are sure to play a significant role in India’s journey through the tournament.