Shubman Gill credits Rahul Dravid, Yuvraj Singh for his continued success

Shubman Gill is one of the rising stars in the domestic circuit as well as in the India A circuit. Gill was one of the stars who helped India win the Under-19 World Cup in 2018 which was held in New Zealand while he had a stellar season for Punjab. For the Indian Premier League, he had consistent runs with the Kolkata Knight Riders. In the recent series against West Indies A, Gill managed a double ton, which was the youngest double century by an Indian in first-class cricket. Thus, it came as a surprise when Gill was not picked in the Indian national team for the Windies series.

However, Gill is not too perturbed and he is currently focused on doing well for India A in the upcoming series against South Africa A. In an interaction with PTI, Gill thanked the contributions of Rahul Dravid, who was his Under-19 coach and Yuvraj Singh for mentoring him.
"Rahul sir has been my coach since the India U-19 days and then India A. There is one basic advice from him which I always keep in mind. He would tell me that come what may, never change your basic game that got you success. He (Dravid) said that if we want to get technically more solid, all the adjustments that we make should be within the confines of our basic game," elaborated Gill, who won the BCCI's Best Junior Cricketer award for consecutive years in 2013-14 and 2014-15. 

Reflecting on the recent A tour of the West Indies, Gill said the thought of saving matches hardly ever crosses his mind as he likes to focus on putting the team in a winning position. "Actually, even when we lost quick wickets, it didn't strike me or my partner (Hanuma Vihari) that we need to save the match. All we were thinking was how to change the course," said Gill, who enjoys a staggering average of 78-plus and 1339 runs in just 12 first-class games.

"During that innings (his double hundred), the first plan was to see off the remaining part of the third day. The next day, the pitch had some juice, so the first session was important. The next plan was to score 120 off the next 30 overs as their bowlers would be getting a little tired," he added.

Gill understands the pressures of it and who better than Yuvraj Singh to give some sound advice on how to deal with stardom. "Yuvi paaji gives me a lot of advice about handling pressure, fame and adulation. In the Punjab team, I confide a lot in my senior Gurkeerat Singh Mann. And obviously, any for life decision, I always look up to my dad," Gill said. 

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HIGHLIGHTS

• Shubman Gill averages 78 in First Class cricket.
• Shubman Gill became youngest first class Indian double centurion.
• Shubman Gill was the star in the Under-19 World Cup in 2018.