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Shubman Gill’s impressive knock of 90 on a rank turner has put India in an advantageous position against New Zealand.
Shubman Gill scored a patient 90 (AP)
Shubman Gill called his 146-ball 90 on day two of the day two of the third Test against India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, as one of his better knocks in the longest format of the game.
Gill rode his luck despite missing out on a hundred. The Indian batter was given a reprieve on 45 while looking to charge Glenn Phillips midway through the first session, when substitute Mark Chapman dropped a simple catch running in from the deep. He then reached his seventh test half-century.
Gill fell to Ajaz Patel, who found the right length, using the variable bounce to his advantage. Gill failed to reach the pitch of the delivery and the ball took the edge of his defensive shot for Daryl Mitchell to take a fine diving catch. His innings was studded with seven boundaries and one six and had done all the hard work but departed at the most inappropriate time for India.
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After the end of day’s play, Gill told the media that he believes that revisiting all the technical work that he did before the five-Test series against England earlier this year helped him find his bearings.
“Yes, definitely it’s one of my better knocks that I’ve played in Test cricket. In lead up to this Test, it was all about me working on the areas that I’ve worked before the England series that we played,” Gill said at the post-match press conference.
“In that (England) series, I was batting at my best against spinners and just to be able to go back into that mindset and what my positions were while playing spinners, that is what I was trying to replicate before this match in practice.”
“The conversation with the coach was just having more repetitions on what I think is the best idea for me to be able to play spinners,” he added.
Gill credited having a clear mindset while batting in pressure situation on a turning track at the start of day two worked well for him.
“I was honestly trying to have fun. I love batting, if I try to think of it as just going out there and having another opportunity to bat for the maximum amount that I can, that is what I was thinking,” he said.
“I was not trying to put too much pressure on myself (by) thinking I have to score these many runs. I was trying to have fun in the middle and enjoy that moment, even if it was difficult.”
“Because you don’t get to play that many Test matches. I just feel when I’m batting there, if I would put too much pressure on myself, then I’m losing out on the fun of the art of batting,” he said.
(With inputs from Agencies)
