Dubai [UAE], March 8 (ANI): India’s vice-captain Shubman Gill opened up about his experience serving as skipper Rohit Sharma’s deputy, his approach with the bat when he steps up on the field, and the way the Dubai surface could behave in Sunday’s Champions Trophy final against New Zealand.
The number one-ranked ODI batter has been thriving across all spectrums of the format since being promoted to vice-captaincy for the ongoing marquee event.
With his promotion in the decision-making hierarchy, Gill’s responsibility isn’t limited to piling up runs on the board but also to overseeing and bearing the responsibility of the events unfolding on the field.
Ahead of the final, Gill illuminated his journey as vice-captain and the new responsibilities and challenges that have come along in the next chapter of his career.
“You get to learn a lot. When you are with the team as a player, obviously you have a responsibility as a batsman, as a fielder, but when an added responsibility is given to you, it’s very important for me to know how the other players are feeling on the field if they are thinking the right way. We have a lot of young players in the team. So, just like I was talking about experienced players and young players, because experienced players have done the same thing so many times, and they’ve made mistakes too,” Gill told reporters ahead of the final on Sunday.
“So, my role is, at that time, when there is a young fast bowler or a young spinner in our team, when there is pressure on them, whether they are thinking right or not. You can be successful or fail in thinking, but the probability of you being successful increases if you think right. So that is my role in the team. Whenever the bowler is under pressure, I have to talk to them and ask about their plans. And sometimes we forget to do simple things under pressure, so I try to remind them of our plans,” he added.
Since his promotion, Gill has notched up his performances with the bat. During the buildup to the Champions Trophy, Gill top-scored in the three ODIs against England, with a whopping 259 runs to his name.
He began his Champions Trophy campaign with an unbeaten century against Bangladesh and topped it up by initiating India’s recovery with a composed 46(52).
Gill illuminated his mantra of reacting to the situation, not pre-meditating, and taking calculated risks, which is the “hallmark” of his game.
“I honestly don’t really think about that. I need to take more risks, or I need to take less risk. It’s about me being in my zone and taking calculated risks, and I think that is the hallmark of my game. I take risks at the right point when I feel the bowler is under pressure, and most of my betting is instinctive. I don’t pre-plan. I don’t play any shots which are pre-planned,” he said.
“I see the situation, and I see when is the right time to put the bowler under pressure. Obviously, when you are playing on the wicket, you kind of have an idea what kind of total you’re looking to make on that wicket. And then you add 15, 20 runs to give that extra cushion to the bowlers. And that’s what I think of when I’m batting,” he added.
With the final set to be played in Dubai, Gill expects the pitch to behave the same way as it has since the beginning of the tournament. A 300-plus score remains elusive, while spinners are expected to have their say in the wicket-taking column.
“I don’t think the wicket is going to behave any differently. We haven’t really seen a 300 score here as yet, and I think, irrespective of the weather, the wicket is going to be similar to what we’ve been playing on. And I think we as a team have got a good idea of how to play on that kind of wicket and how to bowl on that kind of a wicket,” he said. (ANI)
