IND vs SA 2022: “I love playing the ODI format” – Shubman Gill on his purple patch in 50-over cricket

India's stylish opening batter, Shubman Gill, is extremely excited to play in the ODI series against South Africa.

In a recent interview with BCCI, the right-handed batter expressed his delight at playing 50-over cricket for the Men in Blue.

Gill rose to prominence with his excellent performances in the recently concluded ODI series in the West Indies and Zimbabwe.

He emerged as the highest run-scorer in both the three-match series, amassing 450 runs in six ODIs, including a century and three fifties.

Speaking to BCCI, he said:

“I'm enjoying this format a lot. I love playing the ODI format. I managed to execute whatever I wanted to in the last series.”

He is coming off the back of a decent outing for Glamorgan in England. He smashed 119 against Sussex and 92 versus Worcester. The 23-year-old would be keen to deliver for India against the Proteas.

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"It’s a lot of fun opening with him" – Gill explains his camaraderie with Shikhar Dhawan

Gill further highlighted the importance of batting with opening partner Shikhar Dhawan. He credited the senior Indian batter for helping him learn how to adjust to the situation and for his valuable input in helping Gill improve his game.

He said:

“(On opening with Shikhar Dhawan) It's a lot of fun opening with him. He's got a lot of experience, so he guides me a lot when we're batting together. He tells me how to play which bowler in a particular situation.”

The Punjab-based player is also excited about the upcoming World Cup 2023. He will be looking to confirm his role as a backup opener for the big tournament on Indian soil.

“(On the World Cup in India next year) It doesn't put any pressure as such. We've been playing in these conditions from the beginning, but you always want to perform well. With the World Cup in India, it adds to more fun and excitement as a player.”

The Men in Blue are scheduled to play their opening ODI in Lucknow on Thursday (October 6). The action will shift to Ranchi (October 9) and New Delhi (October 11) for the remaining two matches.

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India’s ODI squad against South Africa: Shikhar Dhawan (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubhman Gill, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Rajat Patidar, Rahul Tripathi, Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Siraj, and Deepak Chahar.