“I will cheer for the players and wish them luck” - Shubman Gill opens up on his chances of making India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad
Top-order batter Shubman Gill is not thinking about his selection for the T20 World Cup 2024. Rather, Gill is concentrating on scoring runs for the Gujarat Titans (GT) in IPL 2024.
Gill is leading the Titans this season after Hardik Pandya was traded to the Mumbai Indians. He is their second-highest run-scorer with 304 runs in nine innings at an average of 38 and a strike rate of 146.15.
With the deadline of May 1 for the announcement of the T20 WC squad, there has been constant chatter among the cricket fraternity about India's opening slot. Here's what Gill said to PTI about his selection for the big ticket event:
“I am not thinking about my selection for the T20 World Cup. I have been given a specific role in the IPL by my franchise and I am concentrating on that. My priority now is the Titans team and the players involved. As a player, I’m only thinking about scoring runs for my team."
Moreover, Gill said that he would cheer for the players from the sidelines if he doesn't make the squad, despite being the orange cap holder with 890 runs in IPL 2023. He added:
“As a player, I learnt a lot from the World Cup in India. I realized the significance of playing a World Cup and it’s always a dream to represent India in the World Cup. But if I don’t make the grade this time after scoring nearly 900 runs (890 in 17 matches) last season, I can only say that I will cheer for the players and wish them luck.”
There are many candidates to take guard for India at the T20 World Cup alongside skipper Rohit Sharma. Apart from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Ishan Kishan, Virat Kohli is also reportedly vying for the opening slot.
Shubman Gill's Titans face tough race to qualify for IPL 2024 playoffs
After beginning their campaign with a victory against the Mumbai Indians, the Gujarat Titans have been inconsistent with their performances. They are positioned seventh on the points table with four victories in nine games. In their last outing, the Titans lost by four runs against the Delhi Capitals.
Skipper Shubman Gill will have to play a key role if the Titans are to win most or all of their remaining five games and qualify for the playoffs. Under Hardik Pandya's captaincy, the Gujarat-based franchise reached the playoffs in the last two editions, while winning the title in 2022.