IPL 2022 | Shubman Gill is the one I was thinking will be hard to bowl: Rashid Khan

The new entrants of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Gujarat Titans, clinched the services of the Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan before he could go to the auction table, and the rest is history.

The star leggie lived up to the expectations as he helped Gujarat Titans (GT) to win their maiden IPL title in the first season itself. He bagged 19 wickets in 16 matches, and it was for the sixth consecutive time since he started playing in the IPL in 2017 that the Afghanistan leg-spinner went on to pick at least 17 or more wickets in a single season. 

Despite being a regular face in franchise cricket, Rashid Khan has maintained his consistency with the ball and batters worldwide still avoid taking risks against him. 

After beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the final of the recently concluded IPL 2022, Rashid Khan spoke on Star Sports and named the one batter he thought would be hard to bowl. Luckily, the batter was from his team Gujarat Titans, and it is none other than young opener Shubman Gill. 

The 22-year-old was one of the top performers for the Hardik Pandya-led side in the recently concluded season. Gill amassed 483 runs in the tournament at an average of 34.50 and a strike rate of 132.33. This was the third consecutive season where he crossed the 400-run mark.

"So proud to be here with him, and I think he is a very hard-working guy. Someone like him gives you lots of energy in the team, and I think the way he played throughout the tournament was unbelievable. Pleased to have him around. He is the only guy, I think...I was feeling like someone like him would be hard for me to bowl in the game, but luckily I have my side," Rashid said after the IPL 2022 final. 

Apart from bowling, Gujarat Titans used the batting skills of Rashid Khan very well this year as he managed to deliver some crucial cameo knocks in crunch situations to take his team past the finish line.