With the next edition of the T20 World Cup to be hosted by India and Sri Lanka in 2026, the T20Is against Zimbabwe mark the beginning of a new two-year journey for the current world champions in the shortest format.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cAbhishek will open with me, and Ruturaj will play at number three. Rohit bhai and Virat bhai had opened in the World Cup, and I also open (the innings) in the T20s. So, I think I would like to open in the T20s,\u201d said Gill in the pre-match press conference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gill and Abhishek, who are now all set to debut in international cricket for India on Saturday, will be staking an early claim to fill the gap left by T20I retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli after India won the T20 World Cup at Barbados last month.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think there is always pressure and expectations. But what I think Virat bhai and Rohit bhai have achieved, if I go to reach that thing, then it will be very difficult for me. Every player has his own goal, like where he wants to reach.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cSo there is a lot of pressure. If you want to reach where other people have reached, then you have more pressure. But what they have achieved or what they have done for India, there is no pressure in that thing, because they are both idols and legends of Indian cricket,\u201d added Gill.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The right-handed batter also said his new-look team is just having the pressure of doing well in Zimbabwe. \u201cIn terms of what we want to achieve as a team, there is definitely pressure about it. I think there is pressure no matter what match you play, because if there would be no pressure playing in any kind of match or situation, then I don't think there is any point playing that match.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThere is always pressure whenever you play because there is pressure for you to perform in every match or tournament that you play. So I don't think there is any pressure in terms of this being the match of a new cycle. But in terms of yes, we want to do well as a team, that is the pressure there for us.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Apart from Abhishek, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Tushar Deshpande, B. Sai Sudarshan and Harshit Rana (first two matches only) are the newbies in India\u2019s T20I team to be coached by National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cYes, there is definitely a lot of excitement, because there are a lot of young players who will be playing for the first time. It is always exciting when you see new players coming and making their debut and doing well. So in terms of that, yes there is a lot of excitement in the team to be able to come here and do well,\u201d said Gill.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"If you look at the team, it's a quite different team from the one that played in the World Cup. There are a lot of young players in the team, including myself. So, in terms of that, we just want to give the players experience and what it is like to play at the international level.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBecause a lot of the players haven't played that many matches and some of the players haven't even made their debut. So that is our aim for the series, to give them more international exposure and experience,\u201d added Gill on India\u2019s objectives from the Zimbabwe series.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
He also reckons conditions in Harare will be challenging for the Indian team and added they aren\u2019t taking the Sikandar Raza-led Zimbabwe lightly.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe conditions will be very challenging, as everyone is coming from different time zones. But I think it's the same challenge. We have been practicing here for two or three days. So, we are used to the conditions here, and some players had played here two years ago when we came here for one day. So, I think it will be a good series here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI think Zimbabwe have got a good T20 team. Even the last time when we played in the ODIs (in 2022), the last one day that we played went on to be quite a close one for us, and we know that it's going to be no different. The way Zimbabwe guys are going to come against us is going to be no different than any other nation, and that\u2019s the challenge for us,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe conditions will be very challenging, as everyone is coming from different time zones. But I think it's the same challenge. We have been practicing here for two or three days. So, we are used to the conditions here, and some players had played here two years ago when we came here for one day. So, I think it will be a good series here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n