Shubman Gill showed his brilliance with the bat on Day 2 of the third Test between India and New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
On a turning track, the right-hander produced a crucial knock of 90, helping the hosts take a slender lead of 28 runs.
After the day’s play, Shubman said he revisited all the technical work that he did before the five-Test series against England earlier this year.
“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 in the post-day press conference.
“In that 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 rank turner 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 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 further remarked.
India were in a spot of bother at 86/4 at the close of play on Day 1, but the 96-run stand between Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant (60 off 59) put the hosts in driver’s seat.
Reflecting on the partnership, Gill said: “When you put the bowlers under pressure, it is difficult for them to bowl in that area consistently and that's what we talked about,” he said.
“The way Rishabh came in and started hitting those boundaries, in that particular session they were not very consistent with their line and length so that's how we were able to cash in.”
Gill said he emphasizes on knowing when to use the sweep and the reverse sweep shots. “You play these shots to move the fielders out of their place — the fielders that are in the catching position,” he said.
“Yesterday I played sweeps and the fielders where I wanted the gaps, For me, it's all about having those shots, but playing them when I know is absolutely necessary.”
In the second innings, the Kiwi batting line-up crumbled and went to the stumps with 171/9 on the board, leading India by 143 runs.
On Day 3, the hosts will look to take the remaining one wicket as quicky as possible and chase down the target to finish the already lost series on a high.
“It's all about one good partnership. When you are chasing a total which is around 150-160, if you have one good partnership of 70-80 runs, the match is done and dusted,” Gill said.
“That is what the conversation will be among the batters, to have one good partnership. For the fielding team, once there is a 70-80 run partnership when you are chasing 150, the body language of the opposition also drops,” he concluded.
(With PTI Inputs)
