Gill was particularly effusive in his praise for his GT opening partner, and spoke at length about the southpaw’s strength.
“When I first started playing the IPL, one of the challenges that I faced was to keep playing the matches at the same intensity. I think that is one of his biggest strengths of Sai,” he said.
“You play so many matches, there could be days where mentally you don’t feel up to the mark, or physically you don’t feel up to the mark, but to be able to have the same intensity in all of the matches and be consistent in your preparation, in your routine, is not that easy, and he’s someone who is very consistent in his routines, in his life outside of cricket. So that’s what makes him consistent on the field as well,” added Gill.
GT’s director of cricket, Vikram Solanki, too had hailed the appetite for runs the duo have in them.
“It is on the back of a lot of hard work. I can only imagine all of the work that Shubman has put in throughout his career to get to where he is as far as his batting is concerned. He’s an exceptional young man. And sometimes you have to realise he’s still a young man. And to be playing the cricket that he is, to be batting the way he is, is just phenomenal.
“And Sai is no less so. He might be a little younger in his journey, but you can see that he takes a fine example from Shubman and understands that actually his skills are what you and I might view as batsmanship, the sort of traditional form of batting. But there is no doubt in my mind that if a situation requires them to up the run rate and the wicket actually suits them playing that way, then they can adapt. And I think that’s their finest quality, their ability to adapt, given any sort of situation, given any wicket, given any opposition. That along with the fact that they have an immense appetite for run-scoring. Good habits to have,” Solanki said at the press conference after GT’s win.
Records have followed Gill and Sudharsan wherever they have batted this season, but neither statistics nor milestones are likely to matter as much as what awaits in the final. One last partnership this season and one more statement at the top could turn a remarkable season into a championship-winning one.
