Can Shubman Gill break Virat Kohli’s 973 run record? Sunil Gavaskar says ’unlike Sachin Tendulkar...’

Gujarat Titans (GT) opening batter Shubman Gill has been in red-hot form this year, becoming only the second Indian batsman to score over 800 runs in a single IPL season. The 23-year-old has smashed 3 centuries in his last 4 outings and has been instrumental in GT's run to the final.

Shubman is also on the verge of breaking a major record set by none other than his idol Virat Kohli. The young Indian opener is now just behind Virat Kohli and Jos Buttler for the most runs scored in an IPL season.

Shubman Gill currently holds the Orange Cap, having scored 851 runs in 16 innings this season at an average of 60.78 and a strike rate of 156.43. Gill is just 12 runs behind Jos Buttler's 863 runs and 122 runs behind Virat Kohli's record of 973 runs.

Virat Kohli had set the record by scoring 973 runs in a single IPL season in 2016, on the back of 4 centuries and 7 fifties. Buttler, on the other hand, had scored 863 runs last year, hitting 4 centuries in the process.

Shubman Gill will need to score another century and score more than 122 runs in the final match against Chennai Super Kings to break Virat Kohli's record. However, former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes Gill is capable of achieving the feat given the form he is in.

Speaking to India Today, Sunil Gavaskar said, “Yes it can happen. It looks possible. If Gujarat bat first then Gill will have a big opportunity. If Chennai bat first get all out for 180 then 122 will look impossible. But yes, records are meant to be broken.”

Comparing the current record with Sachin Tendulkar's runs in Test cricket and Muttiah Muralidharan's 800 wickets, Gavaskar said“And this is a record unlike Sachin Tendulkar's run in Test cricket or Muttiah Muralitharan's 800 Test wickets, those are the ones which will be very difficult to break. But here it is all about 122 runs. If Gujarat bat first then it can definitely happen,”