IND vs SL 2022-23, 1st ODI: 'Feels good when your captain backs you' - Gill on playing his natural game
IND vs SL 2022-23: While India dominated Sri Lanka by 67 runs in the opening Guwahati ODI on Tuesday, Shubman Gill was notable for playing his natural attacking game. He credited skipper Rohit Sharma for backing him.
FollowYoung Indian opener Shubman Gill is happy that he has got full backing from skipper Rohit Sharma and the team management, which has allowed him to play his "natural game" in the opening One-Day International (ODI) against Sri Lanka. A day after the Indian skipper made it clear that he preferred Gill in the opener's slot ahead of in-form left-hander Ishan Kishan, Gill repaid the faith with a well-compiled 70 from 60 balls to set up India's mammoth 67-run win over Sri Lanka at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Tuesday.
"It feels good when your captain backs you. It was the conversation we had in the practice sessions that I would look to play my natural game whatever I'm doing in the one-dayers. Just look to continue the momentum," Gill said at the post-match media interaction. Gill had a fruitful 2022 in the ODI format, where he scored 638 runs from 12 innings at an average of 70.88, including his maiden century and four fifties.
ALSO READ:Â IND VS SL 2022-23, 2ND ODI - CAB TO PAY TRIBUTE TO PELE AT EDEN GARDENS
Continuing from where Gill left off, he began 2023 with yet another half-century as he, along with Rohit, put on a 143-run opening stand that set the tone for India's mammoth 373/7. On his chemistry, with Rohit at the top of the order, he said: "We batted mainly in the Tests. It's nice to bat with him. the conversation generally which bowler to target, what they are trying to do, and where they are trying to block our runs. Accordingly, we make our plans."
Shubman, however, missed out on a century after being trapped by Dasun Shanaka in the 20th over. "I was very disappointed to get out on 70. I did all the hard work to get going and get a big one for the team. I got out in the 20th over. I had about 30 overs to bat."
ALSO READ:Â IND VS SL 2022-23, 1ST ODI: 'CANNOT GET SHANAKA OUT LIKE THAT' - ROHIT ON SHAMI'S 'MANKADING' APPEAL
Defending 374, India had Sri Lanka in a spot of bother with 179/7 inside 33 overs, but they failed to wrap up the tail, as Shanaka's 108 not out from 88 balls took them to 306/8. Blaming it on the heavy dew, Gill said: "I don't think bowling is a concern. We bowled pretty well. We got them eight down on that wicket, and there was dew. It is difficult to bowl when you are second with that much dew."
"It's not easy to control the wet ball. Sometimes the spinners can go out of the game, but that did not happen in this match. Yuzi (Yuzvendra Chahal) bhai and Axar (Patel) bhai bowled well. It's a challenge for fielding as well. Sometimes, the ball skids off the field, and it's hard to catch it because it's wet. It's like playing with butter in your hands. It's not easy to bowl when there's dew," added Gill.
ALSO READ:Â IND VS SL 2022-23, 1ST ODI - VIRAT KOHLI RULES WITH 45TH ONE-DAY HUNDRED AS INDIA WIN BY 67 RUNS AT GUWAHATI
Gill further said the batters were trying to reduce the number of dot balls. "We are continuously checking areas and aspects where we can improve on. We are working on that. No batter likes to play dot balls. But sometimes, you have to see the game situation... if the game situation doesn't demand you to play too many high-scoring shots [like when] two wickets have gone down, as a batsman, you [need to] have that confidence that I'm playing the dot balls but can cover up the runs later. But yeah, that is one area we are continuously trying to improve," he gauged.
Pacer Umran Malik was also impressed with his raw pace, and Gill said, "It's always fun and challenging to face Umran at the nets. I like to face pace, so there's always a bit of challenge facing Umran at the nets."
(With inputs from PTI)
