This year promises to be the one that could turn out to be very pivotal for Shubman Gill. The stylish batsman has long been touted to be the next biggest thing in Indian cricket since his exploits with the Under-19 side a couple of years ago. Blessed with a graceful technique, and some really fluid stroke-making, Gill announced himself to the world with an exceptional performance against Australia in Australia.
Against a very good bowling attack and some testing conditions, he went on to score some good runs, being one of the chief contributors in the historic series win down under. Based on that performance he was expected to take the cricketing world by storm, but he couldn’t really replicate that form in the England series in home conditions and was not able to convert his good start in the WTC final against the Kiwis as well. He also had a very poor IPL for his lofty standards and then got an injury that kept him out of the game as well as the team.
Now he’s fit, ready, and all set to start a new inning in the IPL with the Gujarat Titans. In a candid interview with the PTI, Gill spoke about a lot of topics and iterated the fact that he was all set and raring to go in this year’s IPL.
The Bold Statement Made By Shubman Gill Ahead Of The IPL 2022 Tournament
On speaking about the change in his surroundings from a cricketing perspective, after spending 4 years with the Kolkata Knight Riders, and if he had to make any sort of adjustment to his game, he said that he did not think about having any adjustments to his game. While he spoke about the special feeling one gets when you are retained, he was eagerly looking forward to playing with the Titans, also saying that the coaching staff with the likes of Ashish Nehra and Gary Kirsten (mentor) are great people to have around and that they had a chat before which makes him c0nfident to face this challenge head-on.
Image Credits: News18
Talking about flexibility in his batting position and whether he would be able to play as and where the team wants him to, Gill says that he did not start as an opener for the Knight Riders until his third full season with the franchise, adding that he played various positions in is first two years: 6 and 7 in 2018, and number 4 in 2019. While agreeing to the fact that he is most comfortable batting in the top order, he was more than willing to bat anywhere in the order if the team wants him to.
Speaking about his injury layoff, and his rehab from his shin injury, Gill further elaborates that he used this time in the NCA to extensively work on his batting techniques and iron out a couple of flaws by correcting a couple of batting specifics. He also has learned a couple of new shots to add to his repertoire, which he says is integral for him to learn since as a player he should be able to have all the shots in the book, which will enable him to back himself when the going gets tough, also adding that we will definitely see him playing a couple of cheeky shots in the IPL.
Will He Be Able To Back It Up When The Time To Perform Comes?
When asked about the pressure on him to perform to put himself in the reckoning for the T20 World Cup squad, and how will it change his mindset, he says that it doesn’t change a thing and he will keep performing well for the team, and in turn, it will help him automatically get in the reckoning for the WT20 squad.
Image Credits: Cricket Addictor
Shubman Gill also talks about the criticism that is often aimed at him with his strike rate always being in the mid-120s in the IPL, saying that he doesn’t let the criticism get to him and that he focuses on what the team wants rather than what the critics want from you. He speaks about being able to play in every situation, be it scoring at a strike rate of 160 or 170, and also at a strike rate of 110 if the going is tough on difficult wickets.
Asked about how he handles disappointments and setbacks Shubman Gill says that he believes in second chances and waits for the next opportunity to arrive so that he can grab it with both hands. He gave an example of his latest IPL season, where he had an exceptionally poor first half of the season as well as the team, but the fact the second leg gave them an opportunity to improve and maybe make the playoffs, presented itself as a challenge for both himself and the team. He also said that during his entire time with the NCA, he was looking for the next opportunity and that this IPL is the perfect one to capitalize on.
Joy Barma
26 Jul 2022Thank you for this informative and useful blog about cricket.