India men’s ODI vice-captain Shubman Gill has heaped praise on women’s cricket star Smriti Mandhana, likening her graceful strokeplay to that of a legendary Australian batter.

Shubman Gill praises Smriti Mandhana for her slow, lazy elegance

Currently part of India’s Asia Cup squad, Gill spoke on the BCCI Women’s official channel, describing Mandhana’s batting as “lazy elegance” backed by strong technique.

“I think it is kind of Damien Martyn, how she plays. She has that slow, lazy elegance. Technique is something that gets you through tough phases. When you are under pressure or the situation is tough, it helps you,” Gill said. Damien Martyn, who represented Australia men’s team between 1992 and 2006, was widely admired for his composure and class at the crease.

Mandhana’s record-breaking form in 2025

Mandhana has been in red-hot form this year, scoring 928 runs in 14 innings at an average of 66.28 and a strike rate of 115.85. Her tally includes four centuries and three fifties, with a top score of 135. She recently became India’s fastest centurion in ODI cricket, reaching the milestone in just 50 balls against Australia at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium – breaking Virat Kohli’s record for the fastest century by an Indian across genders.

In the recent series against Australia, Mandhana dominated with 300 runs in three matches at an average of 100, finishing as the leading run-scorer. She now stands just 43 runs shy of Belinda Clark’s record of 970 runs in a calendar year, the most by any woman in ODI cricket.

Also READ: Sneh Rana aims for ICC Women’s ODI World Cup triumph as India prepare for 2025 showdown

Gill shows confident in Mandhana ahead of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025

When asked if he had any advice for the star opener, Gill kept it simple: “I actually would not give her any advice and tell her to be herself and keep doing what she is doing.” His comments reflect his belief in Mandhana’s maturity, consistency and professionalism.

With the ICC Women’s World Cup 2025 beginning on September 30 in Guwahati – where India will face Sri Lanka in their opening fixture – Mandhana’s form is expected to play a pivotal role in India’s title charge. Meanwhile, Gill is focused on his own preparations, aiming to find top form in the ongoing Asia Cup before the summit clash against arch-rivals Pakistan.

Also READ: Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Jemimah Rodrigues share their Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 predictions – From Leading run-scorers to top wicket-takers

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.