Star Gujarat Titans spinner Sai Kishore has opened up on how his teammate and current India Test captain Shubman Gill left him stunned during their early cricketing days. Recalling a U19 clash, Kishore revealed that Gill hammered a breathtaking 260 against Tamil Nadu bowlers in Patiala, a knock that left a lasting impression on him.

That innings was a glimpse of the prodigious talent who would later go on to shine at the U19 World Cup and eventually become India’s red-ball leader. Shubman Gill’s rise has been meteoric. As Test skipper, he led India to a memorable 2-2 draw against England, scoring a historic 754 runs in five Tests – the highest by an Indian batter in a single series. But Kishore insists that Gill’s class was evident long before his international exploits.

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“Shubman is a prodigy. I’ve known him since he was 16. The first time we faced him, he smashed 260. Later in Ranji Trophy, he scored 270. Honestly, it took me four years to figure him out,” Sai Kishore told Sportstar.

The left-arm spinner even admitted that Shubman Gill forced him to evolve. “I went back to my coach Ram Kumar and asked, ‘What can I do against this guy?’ I had to change my trajectory and improve new skills just because of Shubman.”

Kishore also praised Gill’s smooth shift into captaincy. Despite never leading Punjab at the domestic level, Gill has embraced leadership at both the IPL and international stages.

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“He’s taken to captaincy like fish to water. He’s adapted so naturally, and I’m sure he’ll grow into a complete leader in the coming years,” Sai Kishore said.

Gill was last seen dominating England in the Test series while also guiding Gujarat Titans to a top-four finish in IPL 2025.