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‘Isko abhi khila do…’: Sanjay Bangar recalls how Ravi shastri got shocked after Shubman Gill’s first net session
Sanjay Bangar recalls Shubman Gill’s first net session in 2019, when Ravi Shastri urged to play him immediately.
Last Updated on - September 7, 2025 3:07 PM IST
Sanjay Bangar, a former batting coach of the Indian cricket team, shared his observations from Shubman Gill’s first training session with the national side. Bangar recalled how the young cricketer immediately impressed both senior teammates and coaches during his international debut in 2019, when Virat Kohli was captain and MS Dhoni was still part of the squad.
Bangar noted that Gill showcased a wide range of strokes against side-arm throwers and displayed remarkable adaptability to different pitches. These early signs of maturity, according to Bangar, highlighted Gill’s potential to become a long-term asset for Indian cricket.
Now a key figure in Test setup, Gill’s importance to the Indian squad has grown significantly, and there is growing speculation that the BCCI may consider him as a future leader across formats.
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“It was his first session and he walked out to bat in the nets. Ravi Shastri was the head coach, the captain was Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni was still in the team. We were preparing for the 2019 ODI World Cup,” Bangar said on Doordarshan Sports. “The side-arm throwers and I started to bowl at Shubman. When we pitched it up, he would play the drive.
“Thoda sa off-stump ke bahar hai toh cut maare. Thoda sa short de do toh pull maare. Dusra net band ho gaya, inka hi net chal raha and sab dekh rahe hai ki ye kya hai. (If the ball was a little outside off-stump, he cut it. If it was slightly short, he pulled it. The other nets stopped; only his net was going on, and everyone was watching in amazement — wondering what this was),” he said.
Bangar noted that then-head coach Ravi Shastri was highly impressed with Gill’s performance in the nets and wanted to include him directly in the playing XI.
“Coach Ravi Shastri was so impressed that he wanted to put him in the playing XI. ‘Isko abhi khila do’ (Play him now). “He left that kind of imprint in his first net session itself, and we realised then that this boy was special,” he added.
Gill made his international debut against New Zealand in the fourth ODI, but he did not make an impact in the two ODIs he played during the tour, scoring 9 and 7 runs. However, he firmly established himself in the ODI team in 2022, starting with the West Indies tour, and has since become a key player, rising to the No. 1 position in the ICC rankings.