Shubman Gill, the Gujarat Titans captain, revealed on Wednesday that one of his first recollections of the IPL was tossing balls to Sachin Tendulkar and Glenn Maxwell at the nets of the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula when the Mumbai Indians visited to practice there in the early years.  

Gill stated that Tendulkar was 'the reason' he began playing cricket since his father, Lakhwinder Singh, was Tendulkar's 'greatest admirer'.

Gill became the Titans' captain last year, succeeding Hardik Pandya, who was moved to the Mumbai Indians. Tendulkar is also a Mumbai Indians star who has worked with them as a consultant since retiring, while Maxwell will play for the Punjab Kings in the upcoming IPL 2025 season.

“I remember attending three to four matches with my father at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula. In the second or third year of the IPL, Mumbai Indians came there for practice. I was around nine or ten years old at the time. I even have a photo with Sachin Sir and Glenn Maxwell.

I was throwing balls at them during their practice. These are some of my earliest memories of the IPL. I was extremely nervous, but I already knew about Sachin Sir. He was the reason I started playing cricket. My father is his biggest fan. Though my dad never had much interest in posters, we had Sachin’s posters in our village," Gill said on JioHotstar.

Shubman Gill made his IPL debut in 2018 when he was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and he has been part of the Gujarat Titans (GT) since the 2022 IPL.

Shubman Gill's maiden stint as GT captain did not go as expected. Titans underwent a decent rebuild after Pandya's departure, but a mix of bad luck and underperformance resulted in them finishing ninth in the points standings in IPL 2024.

“I believe leadership is a continuous journey. You gain new insights with every match and every week. Different players bring different perspectives, teaching you not just about leadership but also about themselves. As a leader, the key is to understand what enables each player to perform at their best,” Gill said.

“Every player is different, and leadership is about managing them effectively. Knowing their strengths, and weaknesses, and how to bring them back into form when they are struggling is crucial. The more you play, the more experience you gain through highs and lows, and that shapes you as a leader. It is essential to have one-on-one conversations with teammates.

Initially, I was not the type to naturally engage in such interactions, but as a leader, it became a conscious effort. Talking to the players, understanding their mindset, and ensuring they feel valued is important. When a team leader reaches out, it instills confidence in the players and helps build a strong team environment," he added.

Gujarat Titans’ first IPL 2025 match will be against Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad on March 25.