India opener Shubman Gill has a very special connection with New Zealand. It was in this country, he first made an impact at big level thanks to his amazing performance in India’s U19 World Cup tournament in 2018.
One year later, Shubman Gill made his ODI debut for India in New Zealand in Hamilton and has become one of the future stars to look out for. While Gill has been a regular in India's Test squad, he has yet to play in a T20I and is on the outskirts of the ODI squad.
In absence of first-choice players in New Zealand for the white-ball series, Shubman Gill might fancy his chances for a T20I debut. On the ODI front, he has opened the batting with Shikhar Dhawan in seven of nine 50-over matches this year against the West Indies, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
"I came here for the U19 World Cup. I made my ODI debut here in 2019. Good to come back (to New Zealand), feels good. Definitely, I have fond memories of coming back to NZ. Whenever I know I'll be going to NZ it brings a smile. I have been able to execute a few things I have been practicing (about his success in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy)," Shubman Gill told broadcasters Prime Video.
He also revealed his mantra of playing in T20I cricket and said that hitting sixes is not about power, but about timing.
"I have always felt hitting sixes is not about power, it's about timing. If I am getting that right, I know I can hit sixes. It's always about me looking to score than looking for four or six. I want to play fewer dot balls, I want to keep ticking, ones, twos etc. It's more about you being able to wait and swing in the line of the ball rather than swinging hard at the ball," Gill added.
Unfortunately, the first T20I in Wellington was called off due to consistent rains. India will play New Zealand in two more T20Is on Nov 20 and 22 and then will face off in a three-match ODI series.
