Oh, to be Shubman Gill now! To be able to direct the cricket ball precisely where one wants to. To stack up runs and centuries for fun. To do so in T20 cricket, and without sacrificing flair and correctness, without seeking recourse to the unorthodox and the cheeky.

Gill has grown remarkably in stature in the first five months of 2023, and at a boisterous Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday night, showed exactly how much of a dominant force he has become. The stylish right-hander, all class and impeccable timing, produced his third hundred in his last four knocks to bury Mumbai Indians under an avalanche of runs in Qualifier 2.