India batsman Shubman Gill says it is an advantage to play under a captain like Virat Kohli who allows players to express themselves without feeling the pressure.
Gill has so far made two One-Day International appearances for the senior Indian team, which came during their tour of New Zealand in 2019. The Punjab batsman was also part of the Test side this year but did not get a chance to play. He had earlier earned his first call-up to the Indian team during the South Africa Test series in 2019.
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The 20-year-old said it was a good opportunity for Indian youngsters like him to play under a leader such as Kohli.
“Yes, it’s definitely an advantage when your captain wants you to go all-in and there is no pressure,” he told IANS. “You won’t feel that there is 1% of your game that would be left when you are on the field so it’s always good for the young players when the captain backs you.”
Kohli had earlier lauded Gill’s talent while watching him bat at nets, saying he was not even 10% of Gill when he was at 19.
Revealing what advice Kohli gives him, Gill said: “I have interacted with him a couple of times. He just tells me to keep doing stuff that I am already doing and to have consistency on the field. Consistency is an important factor.”
With cricket activities coming to a halt as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Gill who plays for the Kolkata Knight Riders, said he is eager to play the Indian Premier League when it returns.
“..earlier when we used to come to the IPL, there was a lot of cricket going on before that. But this time, players would be fresh and keen to get on with it,” he said.