Stay calm, dad tells Shubman

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 13

“Don’t shy away from hard-work,” is the advice Lakhwinder Singh Gill offered to his son Shubman as the youngster prepared to leave for the India’s upcoming ODI and T20I tour of New Zealand. Shubman got the India call up late last night and will be leaving for Mumbai tomorrow.

“My only advice to Shubman is keep working hard. Don’t break the routine which has helped you reach this level,” said an ecstatic Lakhwinder Gill.

He also told his son not to take too much pressure and give your 100 per cent on the field. “Don’t get nervous, play your natural game and stay committed to the game.”    

The senior Gill, who also shoulders the coaching responsibility for Shubman, has played a vital role in shaping his son’s career. Shubman was seven years old when his father left his parental home in Fazilka and moved to Mohali to provide better training facilities to his son.  

Shubman has risen through the ranks after breaking onto the scene with a double-hundred on his U-16 debut for Punjab in the 2013-14 Vijay Hazare Trophy season.  

He scored 734 runs at an average of 73.4 in seven matches and was awarded the MA Chidambaram Trophy for the Best U-16 cricketer.

Later in 2014-15, Shubman led Punjab to the Vijay Hazare triumph with a staggering 1,018 runs at an average of 92.54 from seven matches and was named the Best U-16 cricketer for second time in a row. The Mohali-based cricketer also smashed 351 runs in Punjab’s inter-district U-16 tournament in 2014 and shared a record opening stand of 587 with Nirmal Singh.