Young sensation Shubman Gill spoke about Indian captain Rohit Sharma and gave credit as the key behind their successful opening partnerships in ODIs as well. They have stitched 685 runs at an average of 76.11 in their nine games, and the number jumps to over 85 if only the opening partnerships are considered as well. Gill was recently adjudged the International Men’s Cricketer of the Year and the ODI Player of the Year in the CEAT Cricket rating awards as well.

Speaking to the ICC, the 23-year-old said that Rohit allowed him to play freely. “It feels great to be able to open with him, especially knowing that all the focus is on him. He’s someone who likes the other batters to go and just express himself and play the way I want to play the game. So in that nature, he gives the players full freedom for how they want to express their game,” Gill said.

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However, Shubman Gill has done exceptionally well in international cricket, especially the 50-over format, where he averages 62.47 in 27 games. He has also smashed four centuries, including a double hundred against New Zealand in ODIs as well. Shubman Gill also added that the contrasting styles of his and Rohit Sharma’s batting make them a dangerous opening pair for India as well.

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“I think because his (Rohit’s) targeted areas are a bit different (to mine). He loves to go aerial in the Powerplay. And I’m someone who likes to find the gaps and keep getting those boundaries, and he’s someone who likes to hit sixes. So I think that combination works well,” Shubman Gill concluded