Excited as well as nervous. That’s how Shubman Gill felt on coming to know of his maiden India call-up.
The youngster, who has had a wonderful 12 months since India U-19’s World Cup triumph in early 2018, is certainly getting a bit of goosebumps on being selected for the tour of New Zealand, but he’s also aware of not allowing any kind of pressure to bog him down.
“Well, to be honest, after getting the news on Saturday night, I was really surprised, excited and nervous at the same time. My heartbeat had gone up rapidly.
“But having said that, the (India) call-up, for sure, was a New Year gift for me… Shows my hard work has paid off,” Shubman expressed on Sunday. The 19-year-old knows it well that pressure will be a factor at some point in time, but he is ready to deal with it. “See, an element of pressure will always be there. But I don’t think I’ll feel any kind of it just because I’m only 19.
“My job is to perform, so that could bring about a bit of pressure. But I’m ready to tackle it,” he said.
Prior to having a fantastic season for Punjab in the ongoing Ranji Trophy, the right-handed batsman played three matches in New Zealand — one first class and two List A — for India A last month. Shubman banks on that experience, which adds to his confidence.
“Oh definitely, that experience will be very beneficial for me. I will be aware of the conditions if given a chance (in the XI). So, I’m pretty optimistic,” he said.
Shubman will, of course, be talking to India A and U-19 coach Rahul Dravid before leaving for New Zealand. But he won’t be altering or making any changes whatsoever to his batting style/technique.
“I haven’t yet spoken to Rahul Sir, but will be talking to him before my departure. It goes without saying that his tips are always crucial for me,” Shubman said.
“As far as my batting is concerned, I will not be bringing about any change… Will just focus on the basics and how I’ve been going about…”
In the two matches he played for India A in New Zealand, Shubman opened the innings, scoring 37 and 25. While in the one-off first-class game, he batted at No. 5 and hit 62.
