Batsman Shubman Gill is relishing additional responsibility during the Kolkata Knight Riders' 2020 Indian Premier League campaign.
Gill was informally named among the franchise's leadership group earlier this year. The squad also features the experienced Dinesh Karthik and England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan.
“It feels good to be a part of the leadership group,” Gill told ESPNcricinfo.
“Having said that, I think my responsibility would be to the voice of the people who have just come in.
“The youngsters who have just come in will be feeling shy and conservative. My responsibility would be to be their voice and to help them go about their things.”
“Calmness is an important leadership trait and to be able to see the match from different angles is another. Just not from a single point of view, but to see how the opposite team is viewing the match is also one of the key traits.
“The mindset that Eoin and McCullum possess is something that's really unique. If you look at Brendon, the way he captained New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup was really fantastic to see. And how he goes about planning things is what I want to pick up.”
Gill on Opening the Batting
The 21-year-old Gill has been opening the batting alongside West Indian all-rounder Sunil Narine. Former KKR opener Chris Lynn moved to the Mumbai Indians prior to the start of the IPL 2020.
“I don't think being the senior opener will really change my batting mindset. My role will be the same as what I did at the end of last season when I was opening,” he added.
“To guide the whole innings until the end. That would be my role if I open and neither will it change if I open with a conventional batsman or a pinch-hitter like Narine.”
The Kolkata Knight Riders have won the IPL twice – in 2012 and 2014. Mumbai are the reigning champions and have four titles. Chennai have three.
This year's Indian Premier League is being played in the United Arab Emirates. No spectators are allowed at the matches, as a preventative measure against the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
