Shubman Gill, the young Indian batsman, put aside the disappointment of a first-innings duck with a magnificent fifth Test century in India’s second innings against Bangladesh on Saturday. Gill’s knock was a testament to his growing confidence and maturity as a Test batsman, showcasing his ability to bounce back from setbacks and deliver crucial runs for his team.
“Having got out the way I got out in the first innings (caught behind while flicking off his pads), I was very disappointed. It further motivated me to be able to spend a lot of time on the crease and put extra value on my wicket,” Gill said after scoring his third century of the year. He has been in excellent form in the longest format, accumulating 617 runs in seven matches (13 innings).
Gill attributed his recent success to his impressive performance in the England series earlier this year, where he amassed 452 runs, cementing his place as a key player in the Indian batting lineup. “I think the series I had against England gave me confidence. And I felt it was a long time coming for me, especially batting at that position (number three).”
Regarding his century and the preparations leading into the series, Gill revealed, “I had certain plans, and I think I executed them. It’s about having a good defense but also not missing out on the opportunities you get as a batter to score runs.” One notable aspect of his innings was his proactive approach against the spinners, using his feet to charge down the pitch and drive them down the ground or go aerial.
“It’s something that I started practicing when I was very young because I was always a tall guy, so it was easier for me to use my feet and play along the ground,” Gill explained. “Playing in the air and hitting sixes came a bit later when I got more power in my body. But initially, when I used to practice, especially against spinners, it used to be a lot more me stepping down trying to rotate because it’s then hard for bowlers to settle on a pitch like this, where the odd one is turning but not all balls are turning,” he added.
Gill and his fellow centurion, Rishabh Pant, had a clear game plan at the start of day three. “We spoke about trying to spend a little bit more time today because there might be some extra moisture in the wicket after the (overnight) rain. But once we played three to four overs, we tried to dominate because it was not about runs for us at that point. We wanted to give a certain amount of time for our bowlers to bowl,” Gill explained. Their combined effort helped India set a mammoth target of 515 for Bangladesh on the third day, putting India in a strong position to win the first Test match.
