Top-run getter in the Vijay Merchant Trophy for a second successive season, Shubman Gill led Punjab to the title with a whopping 1018 runs at an average of 92.54 from seven matches in 2014-15 season. The young opening batsman was the recipient of the M.A. Chidambaram Trophy for the Best U16 cricketer in the 2013-14 season after scoring 734 runs at an average of 73.4 in seven matches.
Not only did Gill better his performance in the ongoing season he was also instrumental in beating Madhya Pradesh in the final. Incidentally Punjab had lost to the same opponents last season. The youngster however, has scored a century on both occasions. It was on the agenda to turn things around when the teams clashed again, in Guwahati. “We were focusing on not repeating the mistakes that we made last year when we threw wickets at crucial stages. We had a collapse. The team, coach and I were telling the guys that we should not repeat the mistakes and focus.”
A son of an agricultural land owner, Lakhwinder Singh, it has always been about cricket and batting for junior Gill. “He was interested in cricket since a very young age. I would myself train him. I bowl to him myself. Our village is about 300 kms away from Mohali. But due to the lack of facilities there we brought him here (Mohali). He had performed well in district and so we shifted to Mohali thinking it would give him better opportunities. (As a 14-year old he was involved in a record opening stand of 587 runs with Nirmal Singh in the Punjab Inter-District U-16 tournament for the ML Markan Trophy).
His father too once aspired to be a cricketer but couldn’t get the opportunities in their small village but he taught his son the game says the young Punjab captain. "My father is my coach. He used to play, but in villages. I was born in a village (Chak Khedevala, near Mukatsar, Jalalabad) and he taught me cricket. He has been my coach from starting to now," Shubman reflects.
So where did the father’s interest germinate from? “I am a big fan of Sachin Tendulkar and would watch his matches and the interest came from there,” says Lakhwinder Singh.
“From the beginning my father wanted me to be a cricketer, so for my cricket we shifted to Mohali. My father worked very hard on me. I started practicing cricket at the age of four and as I played my interest grew in cricket. At the age of six – seven I really wanted to be a cricketer,” Shubman said. The school going young bat now practices his skill at the Mohali Cricket Centre.
So did he always want to be a batsman? Shubman replies positively. Besides the facilities that he can avail off in Mohali and the guidance that he receives, his father continues to bowl to him. And they work on his fitness. The diligent and disciplined hard work has paid off as the youngster continues to pile on runs in the junior domestic arena.
"I play 1500 balls per day and in fitness – work on both physical and mental fitness. I do meditation for mental fitness. In the off-season I practice from 9 am to 12 pm in the morning and then from 4 to 6 pm in the evening,” he elaborates.
Asked about the key to his consistency, Shubman says, "I have been training very hard. I have been training for three to four hours daily. I not only practice, but also work on my mental and physical fitness which has helped me achieve this.”
Speaking about his batting, the youngster who has been leading his team with maturity is at a loss of words to describe his batting. After a pause he says, “I am a bit of an aggressive batsman, that’s all I can say.”
Speaking about his big scores in the multi-day game he said, “I have been focused and concentrate for long innings. I have to keep away from distractions. I like playing it down the ground sometimes, but I also play the big shots. My cover drive is my favourite shot.”
“He has a good range of shots. I tell him to focus on playing the long innings" says the father.
An ardent admirer of Virat Kohli, Shubman’s voice has a tinge of enthusiasm when he says, “My all time favourite is Sachin Tendulkar but now my favourite is Virat Kohli. I like his style and how he handles pressure. I try to emulate him.”
The young Punjab batsman is also guided by senior Punjab cricketer Gurkeerat Singh Maan. “Gurkeerat Singh Mann has helped me a lot. He tells me about how you have to play and helps iron out the flaws and all that.”
Unlike many his age, Shubman enjoys the freedom to pursue his passion for the game. “My parents want me to play and say I should get enough practice they don’t bother me about studies,” says the budding cricketer who has been fortunate to have his family’s support to pursue his dreams.
