Feels good when your captain backs you to play your natural game: Shubman Gill | Cricket News



GUWAHATI: Young Indian opener Shubman Gill is happy to have had the full support of skipper Rohit Sharma and the team management which allowed him to play his “natural game” in the first ODI against Sri Lanka.
A day after the India skipper made it clear he preferred Gill in the opening slot ahead of in-form southpaw Ishan Kishan, Gill repaid faith with a well-compiled 70 from 60 balls to set up the gigantic win for India in 67 points. on Sri Lanka in the opening ODI here on Tuesday.
“It feels good when your captain has your back. It was the conversation we had in training sessions that I would look to play my natural game whatever I do in a day. Just look to keep the momentum going” , Gill said during the post-game media interaction.
Gill had a successful 2022 in the ODI format where he scored 638 runs over 12 innings averaging 70.88 and that included his first century and four fifties.
Continuing from where he started, he started 2023 with half a century to go as he and Rohit rode a 143-race opening pit that set the tone for India’s mammoth 373/7.

On his chemistry with Rohit at the top of the order, he said: “We hit mostly in testing. It’s nice hitting with him. The conversation in general which bowler to target, what are they trying to do, where are they trying to block our shopping.Accordingly we make our plans.
Shubman however missed a century after being trapped by Dasun Shanaka in the 20th.
“Certainly, I was very disappointed to come out on 70. I did all the work to go out there and get a big one for the team. I came out on 20, I had about 30 overs to beat.”

Defending 374, India had Sri Lanka in trouble with 179/7 inside 33 overs but they failed to wrap the tail as Shanaka’s 108 not on 88 balls took them to 306/ 8.
Blaming that on the heavy dew, Gill said: “I don’t think the bowling was a problem, we played pretty well. We had eight on that wicket and there was dew too. It wasn’t not easy to bowl. second with so much dew.”
“It’s not easy to control the wet ball. Sometimes spinners can get out of play but that didn’t happen in this game.
“Yuzvendra (Yuzvendra Chahal) bhai and Axar (Patel) bhai played very well. It’s also a challenge on the pitch, sometimes the balls skid off the pitch and it’s hard to catch the ball because it’s wet. It’s like playing with butter in your hands. it’s not easy to play bowls when there is dew.
Gill further said the batters are doing their best to reduce the number of run balls.
“We are constantly checking the areas and aspects where we can improve. We are working on it. No batsman likes to play point balls.
“But sometimes you have to see the game situation…if the game situation doesn’t require you to play too many high-scoring shots (like when) two wickets have fallen, as a batsman you (have to) trust that that I play the point balls but can cover the points later. But yeah, that’s an area we’re continually trying to improve.
Umran Malik also impressed with his raw pace and Gill said: “It’s always fun and challenging to face Umran at the net. I’m someone who likes to deal with the pace so there’s always a bit of a challenge. against Umran at the nets.”



malek

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

GreenLeaf Tw2sl