Ex-India coach recalls day when Shubman Gill made Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni stop and watch in awe

Ex-India coach reveals how Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Ravi Shastri were left in awe of Shubman Gill after a net session. (Photo: BCCI)

Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar recently shared a fascinating anecdote about Shubman Gill’s very first net session, which left cricketing legends Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and then head coach Ravi Shastri deeply impressed. Gill would go on to make his ODI debut for India in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Bangar recalled the buzz Gill created when he first trained with the senior team. At that time, Kohli, who was leading India, openly admitted just how special the youngster looked. "I saw him bat in the nets and I was like wow, I was not even ten per cent of that when I was 19," Kohli had said.

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Bangar, who worked closely with the batters then, agreed with Kohli’s assessment. He described Gill’s entry into the nets during preparations for the 2019 ODI World Cup, when the atmosphere shifted completely.

"It was his first session and he walked out to bat in the nets. Ravi Shastri was the head coach, the captain was Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni was still in the team. We were preparing for the 2019 ODI World Cup," Bangar said on Doordarshan Sports.

As the session unfolded, Gill’s range of strokes caught everyone’s eye. "The side-arm throwers and I started to bowl at Shubman. When we pitched it up, he would play the drive. Thoda sa off-stump ke bahar hai toh cut maare. Thoda sa short de do toh pull maare. Dusra net band ho gaya, inka hi net chal raha and sab dekh rahe hai ki ye kya hai. (If the ball was a little outside off-stump, he cut it. If it was slightly short, he pulled it. The other nets stopped; only his net was going on, and everyone was watching in amazement — wondering what this was.)," Bangar explained.

Such was the impact that even Shastri, known for his bold decisions, was eager to fast-track the youngster. "Coach Ravi Shastri was so impressed that he wanted to put him in the playing XI. ‘Isko abhi khila do’ (Play him now)," Bangar recalled.

That first impression made it clear to everyone present that Gill was no ordinary talent. "He left that kind of imprint in his first net session itself, and we realized then that this boy was special," Bangar added.