IPL 2021: Shubman Gill Should Bat Freely, Shouldn't Bother About Runs: Virender Sehwag

Former Indian batsman Virender Sehwag feels if Shubman Gill wants to be a successful batsman then he must work on his mindset.

On Monday, KKR defeated RCB by nine wickets in Abu Dhabi after Andre Russell (3/9) and Chakravarthy (3/13) bowled them out for 92 in the first innings.

Shubman Gill has more ability than several greats of the game: Virender Sehwag

Gill scored 48 from 34 balls, his innings included six fours and a six off Wanindu Hasaranga’s bowling. Gill registered an 82-run stand with debutant Venkatesh Iyer (47) before the former got out to Yuzvendra Chahal on the first ball of the tenth over.

Sehwag said that Gill should punish the loose balls and bat sensibly by rotating strikes.

“Shubman Gill should bat freely, no matter what the situation is. He shouldn’t be bothered about runs. There are 9 batsmen behind him, hence, he shouldn’t think much. If he gets a loose ball, hit it big and of not, just tap it and get a single,” Sehwag told Cricbuzz.

“He has more ability than several greats of the game. The players from older generations had a stronger mindset which led them to success. If Gill wants to be a successful batter, he needs to work on his mindset,” he added.

It is not about the skill but mindset in T20I cricket: Virender Sehwag

Sehwag, who himself was an animated opener,  would start hitting the bowlers from the first ball itself. Sehwag scored 2728 runs from 104 IPL games at the strike rate of 155.44.

The former Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) skipper feels that batters shouldn’t take any pressure while batting and set a mindset to connect the ball well.

“T20 cricket isn’t a format where you score ball-to-ball. You do that in the longer formats where a strike rate of 50 is considered decent. But this format is meant to bat like this. No need to take pressure while batting. You just go and start hitting. If you connect then you are a match-winner and if couldn’t, then no worries, someone else will do that,” Sehwag said. 

“It is not about the skill but mindset. It’s most important because if you have that kind of mindset, how would you play? Batsmen do have the skill to hit a six but doubt in their mind and fear of getting out stops them from going for it,” he added. 

KKR’s win against RCB helped them to jump to fifth place from seventh in the points table.

Also Read: IPL 2021: IPL Is Important For Every Captain But I Think More So For Virat Kohli: Virender Sehwag