'This is the best batting lineup I have been part of' - Shubman Gill on India's Champions Trophy squad

India's opening batter Shubman Gill believes the team's present batting lineup in the Champions Trophy is the best he has ever been a part of. With two of the greatest ODI batters in the top three, a deep batting order which goes up to No. 8, and most players already making the runs, Gill says this batting unit offers a level of freedom the previous Indian teams lacked.

“This is the best batting lineup I have been part of. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are all-time one-day greats. Rohit bhai is one of the best openers in white-ball cricket, and Virat bhai, I don’t think I even need to say anything about him. He is one of the best ODI batters ever. I’m fortunate to be batting between them, and then we have Shreyas [Iyer] in great form, followed by KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, and Ravindra Jadeja," Gill said during the pre-match press conference.

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Notably, Dubai has not been a high-scoring pitch in this tournament. Every player in the top seven of the Indian team has registered at least one 40-plus score. Jadeja, at No. 8, has only been needed twice in four games. This depth, Gill believes, has allowed the top order to play with greater freedom. 

“The depth in our batting helps us bat more freely. Earlier, we lacked depth, so the top order had to take more responsibility and bat longer. But now, we can express ourselves knowing we have strong batting to follow," Gill explained.

Gill, who scored a marvellous 101 in India’s opener against Bangladesh, assured that batting with freedom does not necessarily mean taking risks. Instead, he focuses on playing smart and focused cricket. 

“I don’t pre-plan my shots. It’s all instinctive. When I bat, I assess the conditions and the target we need. Then, I add 15-20 runs as a cushion for the bowlers," Gill said further.

For Gill, match-like intensity in training is crucial and he likes to focus on the nitty-gritties.

“It’s easy to hit boundaries, but rotating strike under pressure is harder. That’s why I focus on those small details in practice, which helps me stay in my zone during matches.”