Young India opener Shubman Gill has returned to the country where he has some very “fond memories” of, and the name of which “brings a smile” to his face – New Zealand.
In 2018 in New Zealand, Shubman Gill starred in India’s under-19 World Cup triumph. Then in made his ODI debut in 2019 in New Zealand. And now, Gill could well be making his T20I debut in this country again, as he’s part of the squad to take on the hosts in a 3 T20I series under the captaincy of Hardik Pandya.
“I came here for the U19 World Cup. I made my ODI debut here in 2019. Good to comeback (to New Zealand), feels good. Definitely, I have fond memories of coming back to NZ. Whenever I know I’ll be going to NZ it brings a smile. I have been able to execute a few things I have been practicing (about his success in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy),” Shubman Gill told broadcasters.
Although, the T20I squad contains a number of other opening alternatives – Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and even Rishabh Pant – many fans and experts are expecting that the in-form Gill will get game time in both T20Is and is all but certain to open with Dhawan in the ODIs.
Shubman Gill has been in terrific form in ODIs this year. In 9 ODIs in 2022 – 3 each vs West Indies, Zimbabwe, and South Africa – the right-hander has scored 530 runs at an average of 75 and strike rate of 107. He’s notched up 3 fifties and a century.
He had a superb IPL 2022 too, helping the Gujarat Titans win the title by scoring 483 runs in the season.
New Zealand tour Big opportunity for Shubman Gill to prove his mettle in T20 cricket
Talking about his method of scoring in white-ball cricket, Gill explained that he focuses on rotating the strike, minimizing the dot ball percentage, and added that six-hitting, according to him, is more about timing than sheer power.
“I have always felt hitting sixes is not about power, it’s about timing. If I am getting that right, I know I can hit sixes. It’s always about me looking to score than looking for four or six. I want to play fewer dot balls, I want to keep ticking, ones, twos etc. It’s more about you being able to wait and swing in the line of the ball rather than swinging hard at the ball,” Gill added.
