Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill said on Wednesday that one of his first memories of the IPL was throwing balls to Sachin Tendulkar and Glenn Maxwell at the nets of the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula when Mumbai Indians came to practice there in the early years of the tournament. Gill said Tendulkar was ‘the reason’ he started playing cricket because his father, Lakhwinder Singh, was the Master-Blaster’s ‘biggest fan’. Gill became the Titans’ captain last year, taking over from Hardik Pandya who the franchise traded to Mumbai Indians. Tendulkar is also a Mumbai Indians legend and has been associated with them as a mentor after retiring, while Maxwell will feature for the Punjab Kings in the upcoming IPL 2025 season. “I remember attending three to four matches with my father at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium in Panchkula. In the second or third year of the IPL, Mumbai Indians came there for practice. I was around nine or ten years old at the time. I even have a photo with Sachin Sir and Glenn Maxwell,” Gill said on JioHotstar. “I was throwing balls to them during their practice. These are some of my earliest memories of the IPL. I was extremely nervous, but I already knew about Sachin Sir. He was the reason I started playing cricket. My father is his biggest fan. Though my dad never had much interest in posters, we had Sachin’s posters in our village,” he added. Gill made his IPL debut in 2018 when he was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). He has been playing for the Titans since 2022. His first captaincy season didn’t go as planned. Titans went through a decent rebuild after Pandya left but a combination of lack of luck and the team’s underperforming saw them finish eighth in the points table. “I believe leadership is a continuous journey,” Gill said. “You gain new insights with every match and every week. Different players bring different perspectives, teaching you not just about leadership but also about themselves. As a leader, the key is to understand what enables each player to perform at their best.” “Every player is different, and leadership is about managing them effectively. Knowing their strengths, and weaknesses, and how to bring them back into form when they are struggling is crucial. The more you play, the more experience you gain through highs and lows, and that shapes you as a leader. It is essential to have one-on-one conversations with teammates. “Initially, I was not the type to naturally engage in such interactions, but as a leader, it became a conscious effort. Talking to the players, understanding their mindset, and ensuring they feel valued is important. When a team leader reaches out, it instills confidence in the players and helps build a strong team environment,” he added. The Titans will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against Punjab Kings on March 25.