Chandigarh: The last couple of weeks have been far from ideal for India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill. From battling a disc bulge in the neck to coping with an injury to the right foot, Gill has endured a challenging phase. To add to his woes, the opener, who was named vice-captain of the T20I side in September, was left out of the upcoming T20 World Cup squad due to a dip in form.
But as professional sportspeople must do, he put his setbacks behind him and worked on getting back to his best. Gill spent a week focusing on rehabilitation at the IS Bindra Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali under the guidance of his mentor and PCA coaching director Gurkeerat Mann.
Fully fit now, the 26-year-old is set to return to competitive action for Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with matches against Sikkim on January 3 and Goa on January 6 in Jaipur.
Reflecting on Gill’s recovery, former India and IPL cricketer Mann said, “He was definitely uncomfortable as he was dealing with pain in his foot and needed time to recover fully. He worked closely with the physiotherapist and continued his net sessions, even batting on the centre wicket. Injuries are part of a cricketer’s journey. I advised him to stay positive and focus on recovery. He handled the phase with great discipline.”
Gill sustained the injury during a nets session in Lucknow in the T20I series against South Africa.
While Gill will miss the T20I series against New Zealand and the T20 World Cup, he is expected to lead India in the ODI series against the Kiwis. Despite being named T20I vice-captain, his form in the shortest format had come under scrutiny, with the opening slot alongside Abhishek Sharma becoming a talking point, especially as Sanju Samson had found some success in the role.
On Gill’s mindset, Mann added, “Naturally, he was disappointed after missing out on the T20 World Cup squad and then picking up a niggle. But he is very mature and understands the bigger picture. His focus now is on making the most of the Vijay Hazare matches and preparing well for the ODI series against New Zealand.”
Gill and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh will feature in Punjab’s next two matches, while Abhishek Sharma will miss both fixtures. Sharma led Punjab in their previous games against Maharashtra and Uttarakhand, scoring 30 and taking two wickets in a losing cause against Uttarakhand, before making 48 and picking up a wicket in a win over Maharashtra.
Praising Abhishek’s growth, Mann said, “Abhishek has matured tremendously in recent years. His clean hitting and fearless approach make him stand out. Bowlers now come with plans against him because he becomes very hard to stop once he gets going. The guidance of Yuvraj Singh has helped him immensely. He can be a major impact player for India in T20 cricket, especially with his improving bowling making him a genuine all-rounder.”
Gill, who was part of the Punjab squad but missed the first four matches, also earned strong backing from Mann.
“Shubman has always been a very sorted cricketer, even as a junior. There has never been any doubt about his skill, work ethics or awareness. His constant desire to learn and improve is why he has gone on to captain India in both Test and ODI formats,” Mann said.
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