Indian cricket team is set to play its first ODI match in six months as they take on England in Nagpur on Thursday. It is a huge series for India as they get ready for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2025 tournament. Shubman Gill is set to open the batting with skipper Rohit Sharma. The 25-year-old has also been named the vice-captain of the side recently by the selectors.
Gill was addressing the media on the eve of the game where he was asked how he will approach the new responsibility. India’s new ODI vice-captain replied, "Yes, I have been given added responsibility and I take it as a challenge to lead the way firstly with my performance and then definitely in the field if Rohit Bhai would want my opinions, then it’s my duty to let him know my thoughts about the game."
The 25-year-old also added, "Just being part of the think-tank, how GG (Gautam Gambhir) bhai thinks, how Rohit bhai thinks, what are the plans to certain batters and bowlers and how to take on certain opposition, learning that is a big job for me and I will look to do the same."
Shubman Gill speaks out on competition with Abhishek Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal
Abhishek Sharma has become the toast of the nation for his blistering ton against England in the final T20I. Shubman Gill who is a teammate of Sharma with the Punjab cricket team dismissed any notions of competition with the 24-year-old.
Speaking to the media, Gill said, “Abhishek is a childhood of friend of mine. Jaiswal is also a friend. I don't think there is any toxic competition between us. Obviously if you are playing for the country, you want to perform in every match, and not think that 'I wish this guy doesn't perform'. You are playing for the country and for the team and whosoever performs you congratulate them.”
India’s opener also lauded skipper Rohit Sharma for his amazing batting in the white ball format and said, “The way Rohit bhai has been batting in the ODI’s in the past one year and a half, it's been really game-changing for us. Taking the momentum right through from the start and taking the game away from ball one, and it makes the job of the non-striker and the batsmen coming in a bit easier and I think it has helped our team a lot.”
Finally, while speaking about the series loss in Australia, the young batter said, “One series does not define the form of the whole team. There are a lot of players who, in the past, have performed consistently in a lot of series and tournaments. Definitely, we did not play as per our expectations in the Australian series, but still we played some good cricket. e were unfortunate not to have Jasprit Bumrah on the last day and we would have won the match and the series would have been a draw and this talk wouldn't have happened.”