Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill have opened for India in 28 innings, accumulating 1,943 runs at an impressive average of 71.96, with only ten instances of failing to reach 50 without losing a wicket. Their dynamic partnership blends aggression and dependability, boasting a strike rate above seven runs per over. They hold the top position in the all-time rankings for opening pairs in terms of average and strike rate. Their contrasting styles complement each other; Rohit’s aerial shots combined with Gill’s ground game create diverse scoring opportunities. Gill recently found success with a century against Bangladesh after struggling in Tests.
“The way we approach the game during the powerplay is quite distinct,” Gill explained. “Rohit bhai prefers to play more aerial shots and aims for those big sixes, while I tend to play along the ground and focus on finding gaps. If I notice that the bowler is under pressure, I might start going over the ring. I believe that is our hallmark as a pair. We score boundaries using varied shots. Bowlers need to consider which areas to target against us since we hit different spots.”
“Watching [Rohit] from the non-striker’s end is a pleasure. He has his unique style, and it helps me find my own rhythm.”
“I don’t think there was any flaw in my batting during my time in Australia that prevented me from scoring runs,” he said. “However, there can be a mental aspect that leads us to focus more on our batting, making us believe there’s a fault in our technique when runs aren’t coming.”
“But, I don’t think it is always about batting technique. It could be that we’re lacking in some other area. I haven’t specifically worked on any single facet, but I have practiced accordingly knowing I’ll be playing in the white-ball format and then T20s.”
These statistics only include games where overs-at-fall-of-wicket data is available.