Shubman Gill opens up, wants to bat at top in T20Is

Harare, July 5

Shubman Gill understands how tough it is to replicate the imposing feats of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, but the young batting star wants to ease himself into the role of a T20I opener following retirement of the two modern day greats from the format.

Sammons wants Raza to lead from front

New Delhi: Sikandar Raza’s vast experience of playing in various T20 leagues would certainly come in handy for an inexperienced Zimbabwe, who would like to punch above their weight, head coach Justin Sammons said. “I think we’re very fortunate to have a player like Sikandar Raza leading the side. He brings great experience. We want him to lead from the front. He’s been superb in the changing room and taking the players under his wing. We want his bat to do the talking as well as his bowling,” Sammons said. PTI

53 Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza needs 53 more to become the first from the country to score 2,000 runs in T20Is

Gill, who was one of the travelling reserves during the just-concluded T20 World Cup, is leading a second-string Indian team in the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe beginning here from tomorrow.

“I think Rohit Bhai was an opener and Virat Bhai also opened in this World Cup…I have also opened in T20Is. So, I think I will want to open in T20Is,” he said on the eve of their first match here.

Gill said he wanted to pursue his own goals without taking too much pressure while thinking of matching the two greats — Kohli and Rohit.

Asked how he will deal with the burden of expectations, Gill said: “Pressure and expectations…they I think always remain. But what Virat Bhai and Rohit Bhai have achieved, if I look to achieve that or reach that, it will be very difficult for me. Every player has his own goal, where he wants to reach. That is the pressure. If you want to reach where other people have reached, then you have more pressure,” he said.