Shubman Gill reveals the man behind his batting evolution 

What's the story?

India's new teenage sensation, Shubman Gill, has credited Rahul Dravid for his batting improvement after he was called up by the national squad for the remaining ODIs against Australia. The youngster added that he wants to push for a spot in the World Cup squad that will travel to England as well.

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The suspension of Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul due to their highly controversial comments in a TV show led to the selection of Gill, who has been in tremendous form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy.

While he replaced Rahul, all-rounder Vijay Shankar was called in to fill the shoes of Pandya.

The heart of the matter

In a conversation with TOI, Gill claimed that he was overwhelmed by the call-up, while stating the reason for his rise to be none other than Rahul Dravid. He affirmed:

"I am deeply influenced by Rahul Sir. He has been with me for the last two years - at the U-19 level and then during the India 'A' tours. He understands my batting really well. He ensured my batting evolved and got better."

The 19-year-old has been an ardent fan of skipper Virat Kohli, and is now over the moon to learn that he would be sharing the dressing room with his idol. Gill continued:

"I am really excited to share the dressing room with Virat. It is a surreal feeling. He is my idol. I like the way he handles pressure. Now, I'll get the chance to learn from him directly. Often, I watch Virat's batting videos on YouTube. Whatever I learn, I try and put it into practice in the nets."

Gill mentioned that he has set his sights on the momentous World Cup, adding:

"If I do well for my country, then there is a chance that I might even make the 2019 World Cup squad. For that, I will have to make good every opportunity that is given to me."

What's next?

It will be interesting to see if Shubman Gill gets a go right away, but should India lose the game, the Punjab-born batsman will definitely start in the 3rd ODI, which would then be a dead rubber.

The Men In Blue, however, will surely have their task cut out when they rub shoulders against the Aussies in the 2nd ODI at the Adelaide Oval.