Twitter went into overdrive on Wednesday after young India batter Shubman Gill became the youngest player to hit a double hundred in One-Day Internationals (ODIs). The Punjab-born cricket star‘s feat came against New Zealand in Hyderabad in the first ODI of the three-match series after he played a stunning knock, scoring 208 runs off just 149 balls to help India post a mammoth total of 349/5 on the board. Previously, the record was held by Ishan Kishan who had smashed a double century at the age of 24 years and 145 days against Bangladesh last month.

But Shubman Gill, at 23 years and 132 days, has now made the record his own after his latest heroics against the Kiwis in the Telangana capital.

In addition to that Shubman Gill also joined a select band of cricketers who have scored a double ton in the 50-over format. He's the eighth batter overall to reach a score of 200 in ODIs.

Before him, the seven men who accomplished the feat are India captain Rohit Sharma, the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, former explosive opener Virender Sehwag, New Zealand's Martin Guptill, West Indies icon Chris Gayle, Pakistan opener Fakhar Zaman and his teammate Ishan Kishan.

He's the fifth Indian to achieve the milestone after Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, and Ishan Kishan.

Among other records, the Fazilka-born cricketer broke Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan's records to become the quickest Indian to thousand runs in ODIs.

Shubman Gill with his hundred at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, made it to the landmark in 19 matches while both Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan needed 24 games to reach there.

Pakistan's Fakhar Zaman, however, tops the list of batters who have completed 1,000 runs in the least number of innings. The Pakistan opener did it in only 18 knocks.

Shubman Gill though isn't too far behind, having attained a thousand runs in 19 matches. He's the joint second fastest to get there alongside another Pakistani Imam-ul-Haq.

From the outset, Shubman Gill looked in complete control of the proceedings on the ground after he came out to bat at the top of the order with skipper Rohit Sharma.

It was a stunning knock from Shubman Gill, to say the least, because all other Indian batters failed in getting accustomed to the wicket. But the youngster had no trouble whatsoever in taking the New Zealand bowlers on, smashing fours and sixes at will throughout his record-breaking knock.

While wickets kept falling around him, Gill never dropped his guard and continued to play ultra-aggressive cricket. He was particularly severe on New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner, who could have been the dangerman for India in helpful conditions.

Shubman Gill though never allowed him to get into any sort of rhythm as he used his feet to good effect against him, taking the aerial route to clobber a couple of boundaries off his bowling.

As he maintained an aggressive posture during the entire duration of his innings, Shubman Gill brought up his hundred in 87 balls before coasting to 150 in 122 deliveries. Subsequently, his double century came in 145 balls.

He was audacious in his shot-making at the fag end of the Indian innings as he smacked three consecutive sixes to bring up his 200.

 

Gill's knock was best described by ESPNcricinfo's commentary team.

“Shubman Gill is the man of the moment (so far)! He got to 1000 ODI runs today and went on to make it a superb double-century which single-handedly gave India this strong total. No other India batter crossed 35. Whether it was his opening stand with Rohit or the death overs, Gill's pull dominated the day against New Zealand. The pitch is not completely flat, it's stopping a bit and turning at times too, but whenever the bowlers changed the pace Gill picked them all to perfection,” one of the commentators on the website wrote.

“First 50 off 52 balls, a century off 87 balls, 100-150 in 35 balls, and the 150 to 200 in just 23 balls. Most importantly, the acceleration came when he was starting to run out of partners and the boundaries were drying up after the 40th over. His back-to-back sixes in the end off Ferguson got him to his 200 and India to nearly 350,” the revered cricket publication added.

Shubman Gill's sensational innings left the cricket world in awe with several fans and former cricketers sharing their reactions after his heroics in Hyderabad.

“I've said it before, saying it now and will continue to say it. We are damn lucky to have once-in-a-generation players. From Gavaskar to Sachin to Kohli and now to Shubhman Gill,” an Indian cricket supporter wrote on Twitter.

“What a knock by Shubman Gill. Well deserved double hundred. Gill 5th Indian to score a double century. Take a bow to Shubhman Gill. Becomes Fastest Indian to score 1000 ODI runs,” another summed up.