Mumbai: India batter Shubman Gill listed his fighting knock of 90 on a treacherous pitch in the third Test against New Zealand as one of his most challenging knocks and said he was trying to have fun in the middle.
Coming in with the team at 25/1 and watching his teammates lose three wickets within 10 minutes from the other end on Friday, Gill played a composed and patient innings, capitalising on the one reprieve that he got early on Saturday morning, to compile a 146-ball 90. He and Rishabh Pant took on the New Zealand bowling with some aggressive batting in the morning as they raised 86 runs in quick time which helped India post 263 runs in their first innings and take a small lead.
Ravindra Jadeja (4-52) and R. Ashwin (3/63) struck in tandem to reduce New Zealand to 171/9 in their second innings, putting India in a great position to chase victory on Sunday as they are trailing by 143 runs.
It was Gill’s knock and his partnership with Pant, on a minefield of a pitch which was offering turn and variable bounce from both ends, that has put India in a position from where they can go for victory on Sunday.
Gill, who has scored five centuries in 29 matches so far, said his innings on Saturday was as good as the 91 he scored against Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane in only his third Test in 2021.
“Yes, definitely it’s one of the 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 in the press conference at the end of the second day.
“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 during practice,” said Gill.
Asked about the aggressive batting by him and Pant in the morning, Gill said he was trying to have fun.
“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,” said Gill.
About his conversations with Pant in the middle as they rebuilt the Indian innings, Gill said they just wanted to put the bowlers under pressure so that they don’t bowl in good areas.
“We were just having fun in the middle, and it was all about trying to put them under pressure because then it is difficult for the bowlers to be able to bowl in that area consistently. We have seen if the bowlers don’t bowl in areas where it is difficult to defend consistently, then it is hard for the bowlers to be able to contain runs,” said Gill.
The batter from Chandigarh agreed that the team was in panic after losing three wickets in 10 minutes on Friday evening.
“Yesterday, yes, there was a bit of panic, definitely. But this is what Test cricket is all about. There are moments where you think everything is rattled and then there are moments like (when) we came this morning and we had a great first hour, hour-and-a-half,” he said.
Gill said he didn’t get much time to work on his batting because he was injured in the first Test and therefore his conversations with head coach Gautam Gambhir were about repeating things as much as possible in the nets.
“I worked on my game against spin before the England series when it started in February. See, I didn’t really get that much time because I was injured in the first Test. Even leading up to these Tests, I didn’t really practice that much because of the injury. So, I didn’t get that much time in the nets before the Pune Test. I got two net sessions and I am the kind of person, I like to have long practice sessions so that I feel confident about it. So, 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 spin,” said Gill.
That Gill managed to play a superb knock despite not having the best preparation for it speaks volumes about his talent, ability and temperament and it will definitely hold him in good stead for the upcoming Test tour of Australia later this month.
–IANS
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