Shubman Gill overcomes dengue, shines in World Cup deb

Shubman Gill's debut 50-over World Cup voyage got off to a sluggish start.

Before India's first match against Australia in Chennai, Gill, 24, became unwell with dengue, and there were concerns about his availability for the highly anticipated match against Pakistan on October 19.

To be fit for the match in Ahmedabad, however, the opener exhibited incredible resiliency and mental toughness, and he has since progressed. However, it came with the risk of losing a lot of weight in the process.

"When I was a little sick, I was feeling a bit disappointed on missing out on those opportunities, but it definitely felt nice to get some game time," Gill said following his first World Cup half-century against Bangladesh on Thursday.

I was thinking that when I was there: "You have to be mentally willing to go out there... In the process, I lost a few kilograms, but perhaps I can regain them.

A strong beginning is helpful.

India's success in making four out of four while chasing objectives has been greatly influenced by the way that openers Rohit Sharma and Gill have been launching the innings with an aggressive start.

"Undoubtedly, I believe this is one of the things that was discussed, especially leading up to the World Cup, that we were not chasing those big totals that well," Gill said. "I believe that having won all four games when trailing is a fantastic way to carry that momentum into those crucial games we'll have going ahead.

"I believe that we have a plan to follow when we bat first, and we frequently get high totals. Gaining the batsmen's confidence is crucial when we chase big scores, especially in significant tournaments. This confidence is crucial in crucial games.

"The captain and coach have more responsibility. We must pursue the adversary. We'll wait to see how the pitch is and what the batting circumstances are.

The team's strategies are summed up by Rohit's approach, which also makes it simpler for the batters to follow and maintain momentum. "The strategy for chasing... Rohit has been batting incredibly well and has been going all out, especially when chasing. And I believe that's putting us in the right direction. When the run rate in the chasing is around four or five, it is therefore simpler for the batsmen who are coming in.

This was evident on Thursday against Bangladesh, when the swift dismissal of Rohit and Gill had no bearing on the chase.

watch the masters

Gill acknowledged that watching Kohli and Rohit conduct their business has made it simpler for the young people.

"I always try to learn from them by seeing them conduct themselves during the World Cup and important games. When playing huge games, there's a narrow line between being occasionally too aggressive and withdrawing.

But I believe that what I want to learn from them is how they play and how they approach those important World Cup games.

Kohli being among the runs, according to KL Rahul, has been a major plus.

"Virat, the less you say about it, the better. He has been increasing those statistics for years, and he accomplished it once more. He took advantage of a chance at the very end to win the game for us, according to Rahul.

"Getting 100 is always a very special accomplishment; I'm so delighted for him. Rohit has now reached 100, and Virat has reached 100 as well. Hopefully, a few more of us will reach these hundreds as the World Cup progresses and continue to win games.

Jasprit Bumrah was also thanked, and he expressed gratitude for having the bowling genius among them.

Rahul remarked, "(He is) truly remarkable; we are happy to have him on our team and fortunate that we don't have to shatter our bats with his yorkers.

In the IPL, we had some limited contact with him. He is a bowler of the highest caliber and is delighted to be back. He spent a lot of time recovering and building his strength at the NCA, the speaker continued.

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