I’ve not regained full fitness yet after dengue: Gill

MUMBAI: After crafting a run-a-ball 92 against Sri Lanka, Indian opener Shubman Gill on Thursday said he has not yet regained full fitness after a bout of dengue which forced him to sit out of first two World Cup matches.

Gill’s knock along with fifties by Virat Kohli (88) and Shreyas Iyer (82) fired India to 357 for 8 and eventually to a crushing 302-run win over the Lankans and to the tournament semifinals.

“Not in full fitness. I am four kilos down from dengue in terms of mass and muscle weight,” said Gill during the post-match presentation.

Gill said he was looking to bat in a compact manner without sacrificing his intent to put pressure on the Lankan outfit.

Man of the Match Mohammed Shami, who picked up a five-wicket haul, said he was trying to hit the right lengths.

“It’s very important to be in rhythm in white ball cricket and hit the good areas. If you hit the good areas with the new ball you will get assistance off the pitch and for me length matters a lot,” said Shami.

Shami said bowling as a unit was the secret behind Indian pacer’s success in this World Cup. “Our bowling is in good shape and with the kind of rhythm that we are in, everyone is enjoying and everyone is happy for each other’s success.

“I always try to bowl in good areas and be in good rhythm. In big tournaments, once the rhythm goes away, it’s very tough to get it back.”