India has been fortunate to generate numerous great batters who have bore the task of routinely scoring runs for the Men in Blue throughout the years. Sunil Gavaskar was India’s first batting superstar, and since then, players like as Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have carried the weight of expectations as true legends.
Shubman Gill, widely regarded as India’s next batting great, stated in a recent podcast that he grew up idolising Tendulkar.
India’s T20I vice-captain stated that the Master Blaster was his father’s favourite cricketer and the inspiration behind his decision to play cricket. However, after learning about the cerebral and tactical parts of the game, Gill began to look up to Kohli, being inspired by his enthusiasm for the game and desire to score runs.
“I have had two idols. The first one was Sachin Tendulkar. He was my dad’s favorite, and I actually got into cricket because of him. He retired in 2013, and around 2011–2013 was when I really started to understand cricket properly — not just the skills, but also the mental and tactical side of the game,” Shubman said in a podcast on Apple Music.
“That was also the time I began following Virat Kohli closely. I loved watching the way he went about his business, the sheer passion he had for the game, and the hunger he carried. You can learn all the skills and all the technique, but hunger is something you either have or you don’t. Virat had it in abundance, and that really inspired me,” he added.
Shubman will have a crucial role to play for India in the ongoing Asia Cup. In India’s first game against the UAE, the right-handed batter scored an unbeaten 20 off nine balls as the defending champions chased down a 58-run target in just 4.3 overs. This was Shubman’s first T20I appearance since July 2024. India’s next encounter is against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday, September 14.
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