India’s newly appointed ODI captain Shubman Gill has addressed the recent social media speculation about his relationship with Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. He emphasised that their bond remains strong and he would not hesitate to seek their guidance during matches.Gill has taken over the ODI captaincy from Rohit Sharma, leading to intense speculation about the future of both Rohit and Kohli. His first challenge as captain will be the three-match series against Australia, beginning on Sunday.At an unconventional pre-match press conference by the Swan river, Gill addressed these concerns.“A narrative is run on the outside but nothing has changed in my relationship with Rohit. He is very helpful whenever I feel I need to ask him anything, may be input on nature of the track,” he told reporters.“I go and ask ‘What do you think? If you would have been leading what would you do?’ I have great equation with Virat bhai and Rohit bhai and they never hesitate in giving suggestions.”The 25-year-old captain acknowledges the significant responsibility of following in the footsteps of his predecessors and values the support from both former captains.“I have had numerous conversations with Virat bhai and Rohit bhai on how to take team forward. What kind of culture they wanted to take the team forward, and those learnings and experience will help us,” he added.“These are big shoes for me to fill in because of the legacy created by Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni), Virat bhai and Rohit bhai, so many experiences and learnings. The kind of experience and skill-set that they bring to the team is massive.”Gill grew up watching Kohli and Rohit dominate ODI cricket, which was highly popular among Indian fans during his formative years.“Obviously, when I was kid, I used to idolise them for the game they played and hunger they had which inspired me. It is a big honour for me to lead such legends of the game.”“When I am in a difficult situation I wouldn’t shy away from getting any suggestions from them.”When asked about specific leadership qualities he admires in Rohit and Virat, Gill emphasised communication aspects. “There are some things I observed and really liked as a player when I played under them. How they converse and what kind of messaging helped me get the best out of me when I played under them,” he continued.“That’s the kind of captain I would want to be where all my players feel secured, and the job they have to do and communications would be clear.”Gill recognises the irreplaceable value of their extensive cricket experience. “They have served Indian cricket for close to 20 years and I have learnt a lot when I played under them, the experience that they bring can’t be replicated, the runs that they have scored all over world,” he added.Gill believes that additional responsibility enhances his performance as a player, saying, “I like when I am entrusted with extra responsibility. I thrive under pressure, my best game comes out. But when I bat, I think as a batter and then I take best decisions.”“As a batter, I try not to think like a skipper as then you take more pressure on yourself and you might end up losing freedom of playing your shots and lose the ‘X factor’.”
