I want to open batting in T20Is: Gill eyes vacant opener's slots left by Kohli, Rohit

Harare, Jul 5 (PTI) 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.

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 on Saturday.

"I think Rohit Bhai was an opener and Virat Bhai also opened in this World Cup...I have also opened in T20s. So, I think I will want to open in T20Is," he said during the pre-match press conference here.

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

The 24-year-old rated Kohli and Rohit as idols for young cricketers.

"Obviously there is pressure. But what they've achieved or what they did for India...they are both idols and legends of Indian cricket. But as players and the team the things we want to achieve, there is definitely pressure about that." Gill confirmed that Abhishek Sharma, who was in sensational form for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL 2024, will open the innings with him in the five-match T20I series.

"Abhishek Sharma will open with me and Ruturaj Gaikwad will bat at No.3," he said.

Gill had led Gujarat Titans in the IPL after Hardik Pandya took over the captaincy of Mumbai Indians.

Gill was banking on that experience in Zimbabwe.

"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," he said.

"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." Gill said the young Indian team will gain a lot of experience and get some much-needed exposure to international cricket during the series against Zimbabwe.

"If you look at the team, it's a quite different team from the one that played in the World Cup. There are a lot of young players in the team, including myself.

"We just want to give the players experience and what it is like to play at the international level because a lot of the players haven't played that many matches and some of the players haven't even made their debut.

"I think that is our aim for the series to give them more international exposure and experience." Talking about Zimbabwe, Gill said: "I think you guys have got a good T20 team. Even the last time when we played in the one-dayers....the last one-day we played went on to be quite a close one.

"We know that it's going to be no different. The way you guys are going to come against us is going to be no different than any other nation and that's the challenge for us," he signed off. PTI 

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