After the IPL 2024 match between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) was abandoned due to rain on Thursday, GT captain Shubman Gill shared a touching moment with his childhood friend and SRH batter Abhishek Sharma. The rain not only prevented play but also secured SRH’s place in the playoffs.
During this time, Gill took the opportunity to meet Abhishek’s family in the stands at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. He approached Abhishek’s mother, Manju, and sister, Komal, showing deep respect by kneeling to touch Manju’s feet and then sharing a warm handshake and smiles with Komal.
This heartfelt gesture quickly gained attention on social media. Gill and Abhishek have a long-standing friendship, having grown up playing age-group cricket together in Punjab. Both made their First-Class debuts for Punjab in 2017 and later played together in the 2018 U-19 World Cup, where India emerged victorious under Prithvi Shaw’s captaincy in New Zealand.
Gill’s exceptional performance in that tournament, where he scored 372 runs, earned him the ‘Player of the Tournament’ title.
This ❤️❤️
— Ash (@_ashevor77) May 16, 2024
Shubman Abhishek and his family pic.twitter.com/c1YlmJloBY
Since then, their careers have diverged. Gill debuted for India’s senior team in 2020 and has since become a regular across all formats. In contrast, Abhishek has yet to make his senior team debut despite his promising form in IPL 2024. There was speculation about Abhishek’s potential selection for the upcoming T20 World Cup, but the selectors opted for players with prior international experience.
Notably, Gill was also not included in the main 15-man squad, with Yashasvi Jaiswal securing the spot at the top of the order. However, Gill is among the four reserve players travelling to the Americas with the squad.
Thursday’s washout resulted in both teams receiving a point each, pushing SRH to third place on the table with 15 points. GT had already been eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the week after another rain-affected match against Kolkata Knight Riders.
The abandonment in Hyderabad disappointed thousands of fans at the stadium, as the game was officially called off more than two and a half hours after its scheduled start. With the playoffs approaching, Chennai Super Kings, currently fourth, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru are in close contention for the final playoff spot.
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