IPL 2020: Batting in the middle-order was a game-changing experience for me, says Shubman Gill
Kolkata Knight Riders batsman Shubman Gill stated that batting in the middle-order for his IPL franchise was a game-changing experience for him. The 21-year-old made his IPL debut back in 2018, and from that point till the early part of the 2019 IPL season, he batted in the middle order. He said that it was a great learning experience for him as he got to understand more about the game.
Also see :- ipl winners list .
“It was a game-changing experience for me because I’ve never batted that [low] down the order. It really helped me grow as a batsman if I look at it that way, because it helped me look at the game from different angles and understand different aspects of the game,” Shubman Gill told ESPNCricinfo.
However, in the latter part of the 2019 IPL, he began batting in his natural position at the top of the order and achieved considerable success.
Likely to open the batting at IPL 2020, Gill believes that his role would be to anchor the KKR innings and let power-hitters like Eoin Morgan and Andre Russell do the damage from the other end.
“My role will be the same as what I did at the end of last season when I was opening... To guide the whole innings till the end. That would be my role if I open and neither will it change if I open with a conventional batsman or a [pinch-hitter like] Narine. I don’t think [being the senior opener] will really change my batting mindset, “ he further added.
My responsibility would be to be the voice of the youngsters: Shubman Gill on his role at IPL 2020
KKR head coach Brendon McCullum had earlier mentioned that Shubman Gill was going to be a part of their leadership group, which also includes Morgan and skipper Dinesh Karthik, this season. Gill is looking forward to the opportunity as he would get to learn a lot from the experienced players in the team. He also aims to become the voice of the youngsters in the group.
“It feels good to be a part of the leadership group,” Gill told ESPNcricinfo. “Having said that, I think my responsibility would be to the voice of the people who have just come in. The youngsters who have just come in will be feeling shy and conservative. My responsibility would be to be their voice and to help them go about their things,” Shubman Gill said.
KKR will begin their IPL 2020 campaign against defending champions Mumbai Indians on 23rd September at Abu Dhabi.