(PTI Photo)
Zimbabwe head coach Justin Sammons expressed admiration for Shubman Gill and the young Indian team ahead of the first T20I series in Harare. India, fresh from winning the T20 World Cup 2024 in Barbados, has sent a second-string squad to Zimbabwe for the five-match series, led by promising opener Shubman Gill. The team includes several IPL stars who excelled in the recent season.
Zimbabwe coach Justin Sammons has been impressed by Shubman Gill and the youthful Indian team.
In his pre-match remarks, Justin Sammons praised Shubman Gill’s work ethic and highlighted his impressive track record in international cricket.
“Shubman (Gill) is a superb cricketer, I remember first seeing Shubman, I think I was with the Proteas. We were playing that Test series against India. I think it was December 2021. He didn’t get any game time there, but you could see his work ethic and how professional he was in the way he went about his business in the nets during that Test series was something exciting to watch. And like I say, his record speaks for itself,” Sammons said.
With an impressive ODI average exceeding 60, Shubman Gill aims to solidify his position in the T20I team and establish himself as a permanent opener.
Justin Sammons acknowledged the threat posed by the young Indian team, noting their dangerous potential despite the absence of key players. He also highlighted the debut of young batter Riyan Parag in the upcoming international series.
“They’re exciting, they’re dangerous. They have proven records against their names. It’s an amazing opportunity for us and I think as a youngster growing up, you always dream of playing against the best in the world,” the Zimbabwe coach said.
“We can see how dangerous Riyan Parag is. He had a great IPL and showed his worth there. Again, another exciting prospect for India. Again, it’s another opportunity for our guys to test themselves against the best,” he added.
Riyan Parag excelled in IPL 2024, finishing as the tournament’s third-highest run-scorer with 573 runs in 14 innings, averaging 52.09 with a strike rate of 149.21. His consistency this year marked a turnaround after a few lackluster seasons.
This series holds significant importance as it could unveil future batting stalwarts for India’s T20 lineup. Following the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja from the format, the spotlight is on identifying their successors in the Playing XI.
Despite being a second-string squad, this Indian team boasts considerable talent and IPL experience. However, transitioning to international cricket presents a different challenge, and it will be intriguing to see how these IPL stars perform at this level.