Gill recalls childhood memories of Harmanpreet’s batting brilliance

India’s Test skipper Shubman Gill went down memory lane as he recalled watching India women’s skipper Harmanpreet Kaur dominate matches during his childhood days at the academy.

Harmanpreet, who will lead India for the first time in the upcoming ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup beginning September 30 in India and Sri Lanka, left a lasting impression on a young Gill with her aggressive batting.

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“When I was about 10 or 11 years old, she used to come to the academy where I practiced outside and used to play matches with us. I clearly remember her smashing our bowlers all over the park. As a kid, that was a rare sight for me. She batted very aggressively, which was quite different from that time,” Gill said on JioHotstar’s special show ‘Champions Wali Baat: Believe in Blue.’

Reflecting on her journey from Punjab to becoming the national captain, Gill added, “When anyone rises through the ranks, especially from our region in Punjab, and goes on to captain the country, it is a huge and very proud moment. To see Harmanpreet doing that with such immense pride and joy is truly exciting.”

Gill wasn’t the only one showering praise on the women’s team. India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, wicketkeeper Sanju Samson and allrounder Hardik Pandya also sent their admiration and good wishes ahead of the World Cup.

Suryakumar singled out Jemimah Rodrigues for special praise, backing her to shine on the big stage. “It’s always good to see someone from your home city (Mumbai) who has played so many local games, represent the state, and then gone on to play for India. Not just in World Cups, but also in bilateral series. Jemimah has always been a great performer.”

“Playing the World Cup is a huge opportunity, and I’m sure she will deliver because she’s a great teammate, always helping everyone around. As we all have seen, she brings amazing energy to the ground as well,” he added.

Samson highlighted the impact of wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh. “We all love watching Richa Ghosh. The way she bats and keeps wickets, she always looks calm and confident. There is a lot to learn from her. Wearing the blue jersey in this country is never easy, and there’s been a lot of hard work behind the scenes,” he said.

Pandya, meanwhile, sent a heartfelt message to the squad.

“I’m very excited and just want to wish the women’s team the best of luck. The whole of India is supporting you, and so are we. Go out there and enjoy the sport. Don’t worry too much, just be yourself. At the same time, remember that a billion people are backing you and sending their love,” Pandya said.