Zimbabwe head coach Justin Sammons complemented young Indian batter Shubman Gill ahead of the upcoming five-match T20I series. With India’s top stars resting after their T20 World Cup triumph, Gill will captain the team in their absence – a significant opportunity for the 24-year-old, who is widely tipped to be a future long-term leader of the Indian squad.

Prior to the opening game on Saturday, July 6, Sammons praised Gill and stated his record spoke for themselves.

“Shubman Gill is a superb young cricketer. I vividly remember first seeing him when I was with the South African Proteas team during our Test series against India in December 2021. While he didn’t get any game time on that tour, it was exciting to watch his unwavering work ethic and professionalism in the nets. His impressive record speaks for itself,” stated Sammons.

The head coach recognized the formidable threat posed by India’s other batters, particularly Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh. Dube had impressed during the T20 World Cup, scoring a quality knock against South Africa in the tournament final.

“As a young athlete, one dreams of the opportunity to compete against the world’s elite. These are exciting yet dangerous opponents, with proven track records of success. It’s an amazing chance to test oneself against the best of the best,” he added.

Riyan Parag will play his debut game for India in this series as well. According to Sammons, Zimbabwe has studied Riyan Parag and is aware of his game.

“Riyan Parag’s impressive IPL performance has marked him as a lethal prospect for the Indian team. This upcoming match presents another valuable opportunity for India’s players to challenge themselves against the best competition,” he conitnued.