Tamil Nadu spinner R Sai Kishore opened up about the struggles he faced while facing Shubman Gill in domestic cricket, which forced him to change his trajectory.
Shubman’s stock has risen rapidly recently, and he was appointed the Test skipper ahead of the England tour, where he led the Indian team to a 2-2 series draw. The 25-year-old had a record-breaking series with 754 runs in five Tests. Shubman first showcased his talent during the U-19 World Cup, where his consistency and stroke play stood out. He then carried that form into domestic cricket, piling up runs across formats, which eventually paved the way for his selection into the Indian team.
Sai Kishore, who played under Gill’s captaincy in IPL for Gujarat Titans, spoke about the qualities India’s Test captain had displayed since his younger days. He mentioned how he had to adjust his bowling angles and develop new variations just to challenge Gill.
“Shubman is a prodigy. I’ve known him since he was 16. The first time we played him in Under-19s, he scored 260 in Patiala. Later in the Ranji Trophy, he got 270. Honestly, it took me four years to figure him out. I even went back to my coach, Ram Kumar, and said: There’s this guy who’s just smashing me around – what can I do? I had to change my trajectory and work on new things purely because of Shubman. I’ve told him this story too,” Sai Kishore told Sportstar.
“Shubman Gill taken to captaincy like fish to water”
Sai Kishore lauded Shubman Gill’s smooth transition into leadership, highlighting how the young opener has embraced captaincy with remarkable ease. Gill stepped up when India needed a skipper after proving his credentials in IPL the last couple of seasons, a move that Kishore believes reflects his natural ability to lead.
“He’s taken to captaincy like fish to water. Remember, he had never even captained Punjab because he was always with India. But when the Indian team needed a leader, Shubman stepped in. I’m very happy to see how naturally he’s adapted. Hopefully, in the coming years, he’ll grow into a proper leader,” said Sai Kishore.