Lara is the only batter to score 400 runs in a Test innings. He achieved the feat against England in 2004. The former left-handed batter also holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket. He hammered an unbeaten 501 in a county championship match for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994.
Speaking to Bengali newspaper Anandabazar Patrika, Lara commented that Gill has the ability to break his batting records. Praising the youngster, he said, “Shubman Gill can break both my records. 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.
"If Gill plays county cricket then he can break my 501 not out. 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 has been in terrific form in international cricket over the last couple of seasons. He has scored a century in all formats of the game and is the youngest to do so in the rare list. The opener also has a one-day double hundred to his name.
In 18 Tests so far, Gill has scored 966 runs at an average of 32.20, with two hundreds and four fifties. In ODIs, he has 2271 runs in 44 matches at an average of 61.37, with six hundreds and 13 half-centuries. Gill has featured in 11 T20Is so far in which he has 304 runs to his name at an average of 30.40 and a strike rate of 146.85, with one hundred and one fifty.
The elegant batter was recently named the new captain of the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Gujarat Titans (GT). The big development came after former captain of the team, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, was traded to Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the IPL 2024 auction.
Gill has the experience of 91 IPL matches in which he has scored 2790 runs at an average of 37.70 and a strike rate of 134.07, with three hundreds and 18 fifties.
--By A Cricket Correspondent