IND vs ZIM 2022: "I don’t really care about what people are saying" - Shubman Gill on critics urging him to improve his strike rate in white-ball cricket

Team India opener Shubman Gill is unperturbed by critics posing questions about his inability to play at a healthy strike rate in white-ball cricket.

During a conversation with Telegraph India, he mentioned that the criticism surrouding his strike-rate doesn't bother him. The right-hand batter suggested that he is only focused on meeting the expectations of the team management.

Shubman Gill said:

"I feel questions will always be raised, but I don’t really care about what people are saying as long as I’m able to contribute to my team’s success, and as long as I am doing what my team management and my captain expect of me."

The talented youngster made a comeback to India's ODI team after a gap of over 18 months, getting selected for the recently concluded tour of the West Indies. He was in tremendous form, and was adjudged the Player of the Series.

He mustered 205 runs in the rubber and finished as the leading run-getter for the Men in Blue. Notably, he had a decent strike rate of 102.50 to his name in the ODIs.

The 22-year-old will next be seen in action later this month during India's white-ball series in Zimbabwe. He spoke about how he aspires to be consistent with his performances as he aims to score big runs for the team.

Shubman Gill explained:

"I think it gives me kind of an edge in some way. But it will also be important for me to keep backing up these performances and keep being consistent, and keep scoring as many runs as possible for my team."

Shikhar Dhawan has been appointed as skipper of India's upcoming three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe. The opening fixture is scheduled to be played on August 18 in Harare.

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"It’s more on the mental side of the game" - Shubman Gill on working with head coach Rahul Dravid

Shubman Gill has worked closely with Rahul Dravid during his U19 and India 'A' days. He revealed that his discussions with the head coach are more about how the batter can stay in the right frame of mind and be mentally prepared for the challenges.

Gill also highlighted that he wasn't happy with the way he got out in the first two ODIs in West Indies. The player, however, managed a big score in the final contest, remaining unbeaten on 98 runs.

He added:

"I’m pretty satisfied, but having said that, I wasn’t very happy with the way I got out in the first couple of matches. Nonetheless, it was a really good experience for me overall to score those runs in the Caribbean. And yeah, getting those opportunities, too, was helpful.

"My discussions with Rahul Sir have mostly been on finding the right mindset and capitalising on the opportunities I get. It’s not that we’ve been working much on the technical side of things. It’s more on the mental side of the game."

The opening batter will be looking to make a significant impact in the series against Zimbabwe in order to be able to make a place for himself in India's star-studded ODI team.