Prolific batter Shubman Gill credits success at U-19 World Cup to quality time spent with stylish southpaw at National Cricket Academy
Shubman Gill
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Young India batting sensation Shubman Gill yesterday attributed his outstanding batting performance at the recently concluded U-19 World Cup in New Zealand to the time he spent with Punjab statemate, Yuvraj Singh, at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore. Gill, 18, was adjudged Player of the Tournament for his 372 runs in six matches, including one century and three half-centuries. "Yuvi paaji has given me a lot of guidance. When I was injured and recovering at NCA, he was there for his fitness test. During our interactions, he shared his on-field experiences and gave me some batting tips as well. I worked on those tips. Later, when I recovered, we used to bat together. His guidance helped me in this World Cup," Gill said on his arrival with the U-19 World Cup-winning team in Mumbai yesterday.
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Yuvraj Singh
"It was a great feeling to be Man of the Tournament, but lifting the World Cup was the best feeling for me," added the right-handed batsman, who scored runs at an impressive average of 124. Gill rated his unbeaten century (102 not out off 94 balls) against Pakistan in the semi-final as the highlight of his World Cup. "That was a very special knock for me. We were nervous before playing Pakistan. The pressure was on us. Luckily, our openers gave us a good start, but then we lost some wickets in the middle overs and Rahul [Dravid] sir told me that I should bat till the end. I then formed a good partnership with Anukul (67 runs for the sixth wicket)," he said.
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"When I went in to bat, the Pakistani fielders were sledging us. I was expecting that to happen but when we started losing wickets, they began sledging more. So, when I completed my century, my celebration was emotional too," added Gill, who has played two first-class matches for Punjab, scoring 245 at a healthy average of 61.25. He said the Ranji Trophy and the World Cup are two different experiences. "The matches at both levels are different. There is a difference in pressure too. In Ranji matches, you have to be patient for your runs and sometimes have to leave certain deliveries, but in the World Cup, you have to score off almost every ball. The game is a lot faster than a Ranji match. The pressure is greater in a World Cup too because the entire nation is watching you," he stressed.
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