4 min readNew DelhiJan 21, 2023 09:35 AM IST
First published on: Jan 18, 2023 at 06:56 PM IST
Right from his U-14 days, Shubman Gill’s father, Lakhwinder, an ardent cricket fan, would get upset whenever he threw away his starts. When the entire country was celebrating Gill’s famous 91 at Gabba, Gill Sr was rueing the fact that why all of a sudden his son “played away from his body” against Nathan Lyon.
When Shubman scored his first century in India at Thiruvananthapuram against Sri Lanka, Lakhwinder again was very upset after he got out on 116.
“You see how he is getting out, even after he scored a century, he had enough time to score a double century. He will not get these starts all the time. When will he learn?” Gurkeerat Mann narrates the lament he heard from Shubman’s father at his residence on Sunday.
“Lakhwinder paaji always had high expectations from Shubman. We all had, right from his childhood days. It is good to see him finally converting his starts and I hope Lakhwinder paaji will be pleased today,” Mann says.
Mann feels Shubman was never out of form even and was never short of confidence as well. He said: “He has always been scoring those 40s and 50s. But that century was not coming. The form was never an issue. A batter is out of form if he is struggling to get into double digits. He was always getting those starts. But a cricketer of his calibre will always be under pressure to perform. People will always expect him to score big runs.”
After scoring his maiden ODI hundred against Zimbabwe, he had dedicated his century to his father. “My father has been my primary coach. I got a bit of schooling the day before yesterday when I got out for 33. So this one is for my dad,” he had said during the post-match presentation.
On Wednesday, Gill blazed his way to 208 off 149 balls with the help of 19 boundaries and nine sixes to ensure India posted an imposing total in the first ODI against New Zealand.
The problem with Gill has been his inability to convert his starts. After missing out on a century in the Guwahati ODI against Sri Lanka, he had said: “I was disappointed when I got out on 70, because I think I did all the hard work and it was time to capitalise on it and get a big one for the team. I got out in the 20th over. I had almost 30 overs to bat.”
Mann talks about the adjustment Gill has made in his batting. “He has realised that his strength lies in playing with a straight bat. In Bangladesh, he got out playing a paddle sweep and even in the first ODI against Sri Lanka, he was trapped in front while playing a cross-batted shot. He is learning every day and this is just the beginning of a great career,” says Mann.
Shubman Gill parents Lakhwinder Gill and Keart Gill celebrating Gill’s double century, (PTI | Express Photo) 
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