‘Gill will break my world record scores of 400* and 501*. He’s the most talented batter of new generation’: Brian Lara

Records are meant to be broken. True. But there are some which seem unbreakable. Like Sachin Tendulkar’s 100 international centuries.

Mutthaiah Muralitharan’s 800 Test wickets. Brian Lara’s highest Test score of 400. Rohit Sharma’s highest ODI score of 264. Lara, however, believes his record can be broken. In an era where 400-plus team totals in a Test innings have started to become uncommon, Lara not only said his world record individual score can be bettered but also named the batter who has the best chance to do it.

The West Indies legend said talented India batter Shubman Gill can go on to smash more than 400 runs in a Test innings. Lara had become the first and to date the only cricketer to hit 400 in a Test match against England in 2004. He also holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket. The left-hander had scored an unbeaten 501 in a County Championship match for Warwickshire against Durham way back in 1994.

Lara said Gill could break both of his towering feats. “Shubman Gill can break both my records,” Lara told Anandabazar Patrika. The former West Indies captain referred Gill as the most talented batter of the current lot. “Gill is the most talented batter in this new generation. He will rule cricket in the coming years. I believe he will go on to break many big records,” he added.

Gill, the youngest Indian to score a century in all the formats of the game and the youngest ever to score an ODI double hundred, hasn’t had the best of starts to his Test career. He has 966 runs in 18 matches at an average of 32 with just one century to his name. But he has just turned 24 and has the best years ahead of him.

“He (Gill) can do it (break my records),” Lara said again.

Gill has had a blistering start to his ODI career. He is the fastest to score 2000 runs in the 50-over cricket in just 38 innings. The right-hander has already slammed six centuries and has an average of 61.37 in the format. But he could not set the stage on fire in the recently concluded ODI World Cup. But Lara believes Gill will win many ICC tournaments for India in the coming years.

“Gill didn’t score a century (in the World Cup) but look a the knocks he has already played. He has centuries in all formats, has smashed a double hundred in ODIs and has also played many match-winnings in the IPL. I’m sure he will many ICC tournaments in the future,” he added.

‘Have you seen how Gill charges down the fast bowlers?’: Lara

When asked which aspect of Gill’s batting caught Lara’s attention the most, the legendary cricketer said, the youngster’s style of batting. “The way he bats is superb. I have immense belief in him. Have you seen how he charges down the track to hit the seamers down the ground? Unbelievable,” said Lara.

Though Gill has a world of talent, isn’t scoring over 400 in Test cricket and more than 500 in a single knock in first-class cricket a bit unbelievable?

“If Gill plays County cricket then he can break my 501*. In Test cricket, he can surely go past 400. Cricket has changed a lot, especially batting. Batters play t20 leagues across the globe. IPL has changed everything. The scoring rate has gone up. So you will keep seeing big scores. Shubman will score big, mark my words,” Lara added.

Gill, who started his career as an opener in Test cricket, has moved to No.3 recently after India decided to look beyond Cheteshwar Pujara. Gill will face a tough challenge as India’s No.3 in the South Africa tour.