Shubman Gill, the young 26-year-old star batter who was recently destined to become the India national cricket team Test side captain has opened up in an interview, revealing who his idols are. Speaking to the Apple Music YouTube channel, Shubman Gill revealed that his idols are none other than two of the most high-profile batsmen in the history of Indian cricket, Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. Shubman Gill named his idols and explained in detail when asked who he idolized when he was "starting out" his journey as a cricketer. Shubman Gill Names the Weirdest Person He Has Played Cricket With and It Is THIS Manchester United Star! (Watch Video).

The man who led the Indian team to a 2-2 draw in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 said that he had two idols. Shubman Gill first took the name of the Master-Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. Gill said, “I have had two idols. The first one was Sachin Tendulkar. He was my dad’s favorite, and I actually got into cricket because of him. He retired in 2013, and around 2011–2013 was when I really started to understand cricket properly, not just the skills, but also the mental and tactical side of the game.”

Gill Names Tendulkar and Kohli as Idols:

Shubman Gill also took the name of his Team India teammate, the legendary Virat Kohli. The 26-year-old said he followed Kohli "closely". Shubman Gill told in continuation after talking about Tendulkar, “That was also the time I began following Virat Kohli closely. I loved watching the way he went about his business, the sheer passion he had for the game, and the hunger he carried. You can learn all the skills and all the technique, but hunger is something you either have or you don’t. Virat had it in abundance, and that really inspired me.” Shubman Gill Reveals Childhood Moment That Made Him Choose Cricket, Team India Star Batter Recalls Scoring 90 at Age 11 Against U-23 Pacers, Rise to Indian Test Team Captaincy and More (Watch Video).

Gill was fantastic in his first series as Test captain. Not only did he guide the side to a 2-2 draw, he also scored 754 runs, the highest among all in that series. Just like his idols Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, even at the tender age of 26, Shubman Gill is regarded by many as the next big batsman in Indian cricket. The right-handed batter is currently a part of the Team India Asia Cup 2025 squad, as the vice-captain of the T20I side.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 12, 2025 04:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).