All-rounder Axar Patel reckons that the next white-ball series against Australia will be an excellent opportunity to Shubman Gill to develop as a cricketer and captain. The constituents of the tour will be three ODIs and five T20Is and senior players Rohit Sharma as well as Virat Kohli will be available to play ODIs. Axar believes that the series will enable Gill to acquire good experience in managing the team at the international level.
Axar also said that Gill has no outside pressure and is handling his new role calmly. He added that the IPL has helped young players like Gill become more confident and comfortable under pressure. According to Axar, having experienced players like Rohit and Kohli around will make Gill’s job easier, and the team will quickly settle as a strong unit.
“If that happens—a perfect start in ODIs like England—that’s a perfect start for Shubman Gill as captain. He is not being pressured after taking up the role as captain. That’s a good quality. I played with other captains. Now, the younger players are coming. This is a transition period. We are sharing knowledge with the youngsters. We are talking about the style of play. The youngsters, because they are playing in the IPL, are ready to go straightaway,” stated Axar, as quoted by India Today.
“That’s a great example for Shubman that both Rohit and Virat are there. We are seeing the transition happening. And it’s good that the seniors are with the youngsters at this phase. The youngsters will know how to handle situations. The discussions in the dressing room are always about what to do and what not to do on the field. It’s a perfect situation for Shubman Gill because he has both Rohit and Virat in the dressing room. This is a great opportunity for him to grow as a captain. It’s a perfect mix of youngsters and seniors, and we will surely gel well,” he added.
On Sunday, October 19, the eight-match series of white-ball matches will start with the first ODI between India and its opponent. The former T20Is and Tests retirees Rohit and Kohli will only take part in the series of T20Is. To the uninitiated, Gill is the vice-captain of the 20-over stage, and Suryakumar Yadav is the front-runner of the Men in Blue.
