Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
 

Tendulkar in awe of Shubman Gill's technique

The Mumbai maestro does not want Gill to take too much stress about three-figure marks as he believes that the young man has the hunger.

Shubman Gill

Bengaluru, December 4: Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar lavished praise on upcoming star Shubman Gill, saying the latter has the required technique and temperament to bat at any position.

The 22-year-old made 52 in the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur followed it up with a 44 in the ongoing second Test in Mumbai.

"When it comes to technique, different surfaces will test you differently. I think Shubman has an advantage as he played a very crucial innings (91) in Brisbane where we won the Test match," Tendulkar told PTI news agency in an interaction.

With Shubman set for new middle-order slot, India to modify Test match ployWith Shubman set for new middle-order slot, India to modify Test match ploy

"He has had the experience of playing on hard and bouncy tracks and I felt that he looked pretty comfortable. So, I don't think there is any technical issue as such," he said.

But does staying "beside the line of the ball" becomes more advantageous on these surfaces for a batter? "When he was playing the new ball (in Australia), I think he was behind the line and when the ball got old, he was marginally beside the line as he got to know how much the ball was swinging, how the field is set," Tendulkar explained.

"Accordingly, you decide whether you need to be behind the line to play on the on-side or stay beside the line and hit on the off-side," he added.

Despite scoring four half-centuries in his 10-Test career Gill is yet to convert them into three figures and this is one area Tendulkar wants the young Punjab man to improve as he hopes Gill to convert his starts and is confident that he will do that consistently sooner than later.

India vs New Zealand, 1st Test: Didn't expect Jamieson would reverse the ball so early: Shubman GillIndia vs New Zealand, 1st Test: Didn't expect Jamieson would reverse the ball so early: Shubman Gill

"Shubman has started well and shown a lot of promise. The way he builds his innings, he has been good so far. Just that he needs to go further and convert those 40s into big scores," the maestro said.

The Mumbai maestro does not want Gill to take too much stress about three-figure marks as he believes that the young man has the hunger.

"Once you get into that squad, it is about how hungry you are for bigger scores which I'm sure he is. He needs to just convert those starts and not lose concentration. Both in Kanpur and Mumbai, he got a good deliveries. He is on a learning curve and will definitely take lessons."

Shreyas Iyer warned: New Zealand may use short balls against India batsman, says SoutheeShreyas Iyer warned: New Zealand may use short balls against India batsman, says Southee

Tendulkar was all praise for his young fellow Mumbaikar Shreyas Iyer, who killed it on debut with a couple of stellar knocks under pressure.

"I thought Shreyas was fantastic and made most of the opportunities he got, at one stage the scoreboard wasn't looking that good and he came up with a gem of an innings and resulted in India almost winning the Test. Both his knocks were important," he said.

What must have helped Iyer was the fact that he has been representing India in white ball for some time.

"I am sure anxiety levels were there but it helped that he had made his T20 debut quite sometime ago and these kind of things ease up your pressure and it allows you to play your natural game. "Early on, he must have felt nerves and once he connected, he must have felt more confident."

(With PTI inputs)

Story first published: Saturday, December 4, 2021, 12:26 [IST]
Other articles published on Dec 4, 2021