In a turn of events, Shubman Gill‘s bout of dengue, which caused him to miss the beginning of India’s World Cup campaign, played a role in his retiring hurt during the semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday. Gill, batting on 79, left the field in the 23rd over of India‘s innings due to cramps and a pulled hamstring, only to return during the final over and participate in fielding during New Zealand’s innings.
In his post-match press conference, Gill confirmed that the after-effects of dengue contributed to his physical discomfort. “It started with cramps, and then I pulled my hamstring a little bit. It was quite humid, and just the after-effects of dengue,” he explained. Despite the challenges, Gill assured that he is fit to play in the World Cup final in Ahmedabad on November 19.
Gill talks about his cramps against New Zealand in the semifinal
Having missed the first two league games due to dengue, Gill made a strong comeback, playing in all eight matches since. While he indicated that his batting technique hasn’t been drastically affected, he acknowledged the impact on his muscle mass. “I have honestly not really adjusted anything in terms of my batting, but because I have lost a bit of muscle mass, I think the reserve that I used to have before the dengue has decreased a little bit,” he said.
Gill’s absence during the latter part of the semi-final prevented him from reaching a century, but he expressed satisfaction with India’s overall performance. “If I didn’t get cramp, maybe I would have scored a hundred,” Gill remarked. “But I think the total we were trying to reach, irrespective of whether I scored a hundred or not, we reached there.”
Reflecting on Virat Kohli’s remarkable century, Gill praised his senior teammate’s hunger for success. “Every time he comes on to the park, he does something special, and just how consistently he’s been able to do it for the past 10-15 years is what is really inspiring,” Gill noted. “It’s not so much about the skill that he has, but it’s more about the hunger when he goes there and the intensity with which he plays the game is what inspires me.”
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