'Some of my earliest memories of the IPL' - Shubman Gill opens up on his first interaction with Sachin Tendulkar

The Gujarat Titans might be a new team in the IPL but have already gained a fan following with a lot of big stars in the mix. The biggest star of the team is Shubman Gill who will be leading the franchise in the upcoming event for the second time. Ahead of the tournament, the 25-year-old has opened up on meeting Sachin Tendulkar during the early years of the tournament along with his father. Gill also mentioned the likes of Glenn Maxwell being there and him throwing balls to them during practice as a child along with also saying that the God of Cricket was the reason behind him getting an inspiration to play cricket.

“I remember attending three to four matches with my father at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula. In the second or third year of the IPL, Mumbai Indians came there for practice. I was around nine or ten years old at the time. I even have a photo with Sachin Sir and Glenn Maxwell. I was throwing balls to them during their practice. These are some of my earliest memories of the IPL. I was extremely nervous, but I already knew about Sachin Sir. He was the reason I started playing cricket. My father is his biggest fan. Though my dad never had much interest in posters, we had Sachin's posters in our village,” he said via JioHotstar.

Leadership is a continuous journey, believes Gill 

In the same interview, Shubman Gill also talked about how he has evolved as a leader as well. Furthermore, he talked about how his journey as a skipper has been and what the most important factors that have helped him improve as a captain, and explained how he learned how to handle the players within the team as well.

“I believe leadership is a continuous journey. You gain new insights with every match and every week. Different players bring different perspectives, teaching you not just about leadership but also about themselves. As a leader, the key is to understand what enables each player to perform at their best. Every player is different, and leadership is about managing them effectively. Knowing their strengths, weaknesses, and how to bring them back into form when they are struggling is crucial. The more you play, the more experience you gain through highs and lows, and that shapes you as a leader," Gill said.

"It is essential to have one-on-one conversations with teammates. Initially, I was not the type to naturally engage in such interactions, but as a leader, it became a conscious effort. Talking to the players, understanding their mindset, and ensuring they feel valued is important. When a team leader reaches out, it instils confidence in the players and helps build a strong team environment,” the GT captain added.