...
...
Next Story

‘Shocked and saddened’: Virat Kohli mourns fallen former India teammate Amanpreet Gill

Virat Kohli admitted he was shocked by the news, and paid tribute to Amanpreet Gill, with whom he had shared the dressing room during their U-19 days

Updated on: May 7, 2026, 13:31:18 IST
Advertisement

Royal Challengers Bengaluru star Virat Kohli on Thursday paid tribute to former India U-19 and Punjab medium pacer Amanpreet Singh Gill, who died at the age of 36 in Chandigarh. The cause of death is not yet known.

Amanpreet Gill was Virat Kohli's former U-19 teammate
Amanpreet Gill was Virat Kohli's former U-19 teammate

Taking to social media, Kohli admitted he was shocked and saddened by the news, and paid tribute to Amanpreet, with whom he had shared the dressing room during their U-19 days. The two were part of the India junior side for the tri-series in Sri Lanka in 2007, alongside Manish Pandey. During that tournament, Amanpreet picked up nine wickets in five matches, including a decisive role in the final against Bangladesh, where he delivered a match-winning performance.

ALSO READ: Who was Amanpreet Gill? Yuvraj Singh deeply saddened by Punjab cricketer’s untimely death at 36: ‘Shared dressing room’

Born in 1989 in Chandigarh, Amanpreet played five Youth ODIs and one Youth Test for India in 2007. In the longer format, he claimed the wicket of former Sri Lanka all-rounder Thisara Perera. Despite his heroics in the 2007 tri-series, he failed to make the cut for the Kohli-led India U-19 side that went on to win the 2008 World Cup.

He later built a solid reputation in domestic cricket, representing Punjab in six First-Class matches and picking up 36 wickets at an economy rate of 3.72, including one four-wicket haul. Amanpreet was also picked by Punjab Kings — then known as Kings XI Punjab — in the IPL, although he never featured in a game.

After retiring from cricket, he remained associated with Punjab cricket as a member of the senior selection committee.

The Punjab Cricket Association also paid tribute on X, saying: “Punjab Cricket Association deeply mourns the sad demise of Amanpreet Singh Gill, former Punjab cricketer and Member, Senior Selection Committee Punjab.”

“Our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family and loved ones. May Waheguru grant eternal peace to the departed soul and strength to the family in this difficult time.”

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal

Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.

Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Hindustantimes wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe