Gill goes down memory lane to recollect first time he saw Sachin Tendulkar

"I used to throw balls to them during their practice sessions—some of my earliest IPL memories. 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. While my dad was never into posters, we still had Sachin's posters in our village," Gill shared in a conversation with JioHotstar.

Mumbai: Shubman Gill, captain of Gujarat Titans, goes down memory lane to recollect the first time he had seen legend Sachin Tendulkar and Glenn Maxwell.

“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 to them during their practice. These are some of my earliest memories of the IPL,” Gill recalled. “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,” he said.

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“I was throwing balls to 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 in a chat with JioHotstar.

“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,” he said.

“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,” Gill said.

“As a batter, when you’re on the field, you just need to focus on your batting. If you start thinking about your leadership responsibilities while batting, it can take you away from your best game. Batting is an individual battle between you and the bowler, whereas fielding is a collective effort. Leadership plays a bigger role in fielding and team strategy,” he explained.

“We have a strong fast-bowling attack. Rashid has been with us, and we have explosive batters like Rutherford, Philips, and Butler. Some talented Indian players like Mahipal and Sai add depth to our squad,” Gill said on Gujarat Titans.

“The key to success in a long tournament like the IPL is maintaining balance. Losing two or three matches in a row isn’t a major concern if you are playing the right way and making smart decisions. Consistency in team selection and strategy is important,” Gill said.

“The pace of the game has reached a point where it feels like we could score 300 in a match. Last year, we came very close on a few occasions. The Impact Player rule adds excitement and makes the IPL even more entertaining. One of the best aspects of the IPL is that every day, a new player emerges as a star,” he said.