Harare (Zimbabwe): India’s second-string side is all set to take on Zimbabwe in the first T20I of the five-match bilateral series on July 6 at Harare Sports Club here.
Shubman Gill will lead the Indian side in the series and he has also revealed that he will open the innings in the first match of the series along with Punjab batter Abhishek Sharma, who is set to make his international debut. Sharma had a good run in the Indian Premier League 2024 and on its basis earned his maiden national call-up.
India’s first-choice team won the T20 World Cup 2024 just a few days back. Thus, the senior members of that team are given a rest and Men in Blue are going to play with a team full of young faces.
Captain Gill revealed in the pre-match press conference that he will open the innings along with Abhishek Sharma for the national side. "I think Rohit Bhai (Rohit Sharma) was an opener and Virat Bhai (Virat Kohli) also opened in this World Cup...I have also opened in T20s. So, I think I will want to open in T20Is," he told reporters.
"Abhishek Sharma will open with me and Ruturaj Gaikwad will bat at No.3," he said. Gill will be captioning India’s T20I side for the first time in his career.
Reflecting on how he would handle the role, Gill said that he would take some pages from his captaincy book in the Indian Premier League (IPL) while leading Gujarat Titans.
"I've learnt a lot of lessons when I captained my IPL team for the first time. I got to know a lot more things about myself and a lot more things about the leadership perspective," the right-handed batter added.
"I felt most of the challenges that you face as a captain are more mental, how you prepare the boys. Everyone's got the skill set, it's about how you can give them (other players) the confidence to be able to deliver that skill set on the field," he concluded.
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