Shubman Gill swaps his bat for a tennis racket and chooses Carlos Alcaraz as his dream doubles partner

India captain Shubman Gill may be making waves on the cricket field, but the 26-year-old has revealed that if he had the chance to trade his bat for a tennis racket, he would only want one player by his side, two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Gill was among the star guests at Wimbledon on Friday during the semi-finals of the men’s singles, as the tournament reached its business end, he participated in the championship along with cricketing greats Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara. The Indian batsman said Alcaraz’s infectious energy and carefree attitude on court make him his ideal doubles partner.

In an interview with JioStar, Gill backed himself to hold his own on the tennis court.

“Carlos Alcaraz is someone I would play doubles with. He seems like someone who really enjoys it 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,” Gill said.

FEDERER REMAINS GILL’S SPORTING ICON

While Alcaraz is Gill’s choice for a dream doubles partnership, the Indian captain said his biggest tennis inspiration continues to be Roger Federer. Gill drew parallels between the Swiss legend’s elegant style and the perception that he too makes batting effortless.

“Roger Federer is my favorite. When I was growing up, a lot of people said that everything looked effortless. But when you play the sport yourself, you realize how much work goes into making it look that way. People have also told me that I am effortless in cricket, but I know that effort is behind it. The elegance and grace with which Federer played was extraordinary and I admire him for that,” added Gill.

Gill also enjoyed a memorable moment during his visit to Wimbledon after meeting Federer. The Indian skipper became only the fourth Indian men’s cricket captain after Sachin, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to be invited to the prestigious Royal Box at Center Court.

Wimbledon has long been a meeting place for sporting icons from various disciplines and this year’s championships were no different as Gill, Tendulkar and Lara joined several global stars and former champions at the All England Club.

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Issued by:

sabyasachi chowdhury

Published on:

11 July 2026 17:00 IST