Gill’s eye for talent: How a Mohali youngster’s life changed after one net session
Young cricketer Kirandeep Singh secured a spot in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 tournament after receiving career-changing advice from Indian star Shubman Gill. Gill spotted Singh's talent during a net session and encouraged him to transition from tennis-ball to leather-ball cricket.
Why it matters
This story illustrates the impact of mentorship in professional sports and how grassroots talent can be identified through informal networks.
NEW DELHI: For Kirandeep Singh, the moment Shubman Gill noticed him was more than just another net session. It was the moment a youngster from Cholta Kalan, a village in Punjab’s Mohali district, began to believe that his cricketing dream could become a reality.Kirandeep was playing tennis-ball cricket when he first came to Gill’s attention in 2025. He had gone for practice in Mohali when he was told that Gill was around. Later, the two crossed paths at the Mullanpur International Cricket Stadium, where Kirandeep got the opportunity to bowl to the India star for the first time.Gill did not take long to spot something in the youngster.“He said, ‘You are bowling really well.’ I told him that I was playing tennis-ball cricket,” Kirandeep recalled.Gill’s response changed the direction of Kirandeep’s cricketing journey.“He then said, ‘You shouldn’t play tennis-ball cricket anymore.
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