Gill, who watched the Wimbledon men’s semi-finals, also spoke of his admiration for the great Roger Federer and revealed the sporting legends he would invite to a dream dinner. Archive | Photo Credit: PTI
Shubman Gill sees a bit of his own batting in Carlos Alcaraz’s tennis, with the India Test and ODI captain comparing the Spaniard’s deceptive drop shot with his trademark short-arm jab.
Gill, who watched the Wimbledon men’s semi-finals, also spoke of his admiration for the great Roger Federer and revealed the sporting legends he would invite to a dream dinner.
Alcaraz’s drop shot is widely considered one of the most effective and revolutionary varied tactics in modern tennis, while Gill routinely employs the short-arm jab against short deliveries.
“The drop shot that Alcaraz plays reminds me of the short-arm jab in cricket. I play that shot too, it’s my signature shot. Fast, deceptive and very effective,” Gill said on JioStar.
Gill named Serena Williams, Federer and cricket icons Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies batting great Viv Richards as his dream dinner guests.
“Serena Williams, Roger Federer and then the cricketers would be Sir Viv Richards and Sachin sir. Those are the four legends I would love to sit down and have dinner with.
“I think the conversations would be amazing. Everyone has mastered their eras and has a lot to share about their travels. It would be a dream dinner.” The India captain also backed Sinner to become champion at the All England Club.
“I’m rooting for Sinner to win Wimbledon. He’s a fantastic player and behaves very well both on and off the court.” Gill said Federer remains his favorite tennis player and explained that the Swiss maestro’s apparent calmness masks years of hard work.
“Roger Federer is my favorite. When I was a kid, a lot of people said he made everything look effortless. But when you play a sport, you realize how much work goes into making it look that way.”
“People have called me effortless in cricket too, but I know the effort behind it. The elegance and grace with which Federer played was special, and that’s why I admire him.” When asked which tennis player he would like to partner in a doubles match, Gill chose Alcaraz.
“He seems like someone who really enjoys being on the court. It would be fun to play alongside him. I don’t know the details, but I think I can hold my own in tennis, so it would be a fun match.”
Published – July 11, 2026 04:42 pm IST