Backbone of the Indian batting lineup – Shubman Gill lauds the presence of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma

As India take on England in Birmingham, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, with the stalwarts returning to action. After a battering at the hands of England and Ireland in the shorter format of the game, India will be expecting a way out of the treacherous cross-currents that they find themselves in.

Ahead of India’s critical series opener against England, Indian captain, Shubman Gill opened up on the importance of the two senior players to the side and the value they add.

Talking at the pre-match presser, Gill said, “I think Virat bhai and Rohit bhai -- they have been the backbone of the Indian batting lineup for the past decade and they remain a very integral part of our team. The experience and the skill that they bring to the team is obviously very valuable. We have seen what they have done over the past decade in different conditions, repetitively, consistently, in a number of matches, different tournaments, different occasions.”

He also emphasized the value of experience to the side, stating, “If there is an experienced line-up, I think you get a lot of experience in pressure situations because you have been in that situation many times and you have done good and bad. So, I think you get a sense of calmness when you are under pressure. So experience is very important in any lineup.”

Gill concluded with a word about his chat with Kohli regarding preparations for the upcoming World Cup, adding, “We (him and Kohli) were talking (at nets) about the combination. Which combination can be the best for South Africa? Which players are there who may not be in the team right now, but can help us in the future? Which bowlers are there? Which all-rounders are there? Which spinners are there? So, we were talking about all that.”