India's ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill talked about the unwavering commitment of his father (Lakhwinder Singh Gill), who played the biggest role in his rise as an Indian cricketer. Gill was the chief guest at the opening ceremony of the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on August 2, where he spoke about the sacrifices and support that helped him play for India.
“My father always dreamed of me playing cricket. We also run an academy in our village for free, where children from the nearby areas come and play. Whenever my father gets time, he goes to the academy and watches the children play. He also shows me videos. I think it is because of his love and passion for cricket that I am sitting here today," Gill said at the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League opening ceremony.
Gill was named India’s Test and ODI captain last year, and his upcoming assignment is the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka starting on August 15. So far, Shubman Gill has featured for India in 41 Tests, 67 ODIs, and 36 T20Is. Across the three formats, he has amassed 2,969 runs in Tests, 3,379 in ODIs, and 869 in T20Is.
Gill's most recent assignment for India was the three-match ODI series against England, where the team suffered a 2-1 series defeat. India started on a positive note by winning the opening game but failed to maintain the momentum, losing the second and third games.