Shubman Gill, the opener of KKR will not change his approach irrespective of his opening partner and may play reverse sweep too later in IPL 2020. He is part of the leadership group as he was trusted by KKR management particularly coach Brendon McCullum at an early age of 21 despite being the second-youngest player in KKR squad.
In 2018, he was vice-captain in India’s Under-19 World Cup squad following which he was picked by KKR in an auction and won the IPL emerging player of the year in 2019.
He is included in the leadership group of KKR that has Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins, England’s 2019 World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan and KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik. He has come a long way since being brought by KKR for Rs 1.8 crore in 2018.
Shubman Gill Might Play Reverse Sweep Later In IPL
His job as part of the KKR leadership group is to guide and be the voice of shy cricketers who fears to directly go to the captain or coach for advice and guidance.
“Being part of the leadership group means that your opinion matters to the team. That is what is happening at KKR and that is what would happen at the under-19 World Cup,” says Gill in an exclusive interview to Hindustan Times from Abu Dhabi.
Brendon McCullum, the KKR head coach said in a television interview that he was in awe of Shubman Gill’s class before CSK match.
Eoin Morgan said: “Delightful, really… Watching him playing against a very experienced Sunrisers attack was a joy.” after he and Shubman Gill stitched an unbeaten 92 run partnership where Shubman Gill scored a classy unbeaten 70.
The 62-ball 70 fetched Shubman Gill the Man-of-the-Match award against SunRisers Hyderabad.
Shubman Gill maintains a T20 strike rate of 127.79. He has scored 662 runs in 32 matches in IPL averaging 34.84.
“I think it is coming along pretty well, you might see me playing the reverse sweep sometime later in this IPL,” he says, when asked about his desire to learn that shot from Morgan.
Shubman Gill has scored 163 runs so far in IPL 2020 averaging 40.75 with 1 fifty.
Shubman Gill Will Not Change Approach Irrespective Of His Opening Partner
Shubman Gill says irrespective of whom he walks out with as an opener, and his approach does not change. He tries to be the calming presence at one end. He learnt being calm and composed from Jacques Kallis who was KKR coach from 2015-19.
“I was getting starts but was not able to convert them,” he says.
In IPL 2020, KKR have finally been able to play India, under-19 teammates Shubman Gill, Shivam Mavi and Kamlesh Nagarkoti together after the pacers recovered from injury.
“It was fantastic to see these three youngsters fulfilling the kind of promise that they had shown (in the under-19 World Cup). So it became a relatively easy decision… And also getting some good endorsement from people who had seen them at close quarters, one them being Rahul Dravid (coach in the 2018 World Cup),” he says.
Venky Mysore has commented that all Indians players have benefitted from the KKR academy in Mumbai, run by assistant-coach Abhishek Nayar and bowling consultant Omkar Salvi.
“It’s very satisfying ad gratifying to see them in action,” says Mysore, referring to Mavi, Nagarkoti and Gill one day before KKR play Kings XI.
Delhi Capitals batsman Prithvi Shaw is now an established batsman while Riyan Parag is the youngest to score an IPL half-century besides Ravi Bishnoi, Devdutt Paddikal and Abdul Samad’s performance in IPL13 has been inspiring to say the least.