IND vs AUS: 'Centurion' Shubman Gill Opens Up About His Not-So-Great Phase In 15-Test Career

On Day 3 of Ind vs Aus 4th Test at world's largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, Shubman Gill (128) dazzled with a century.

Shubman Gill, in just under three months, has now hit six hundreds across all three formats of the sport.

Source : PTI

23-year-old Shubman Gill is enjoying a golden run in international cricket. The talented youngster has made a remarkable impact only with a few performances for the national team, especially the year 2023 is going very well for him as he's scoring centuries one after the other to strengthen his spot as an opener in the Indian team in all three formats.

Gill, in just under three months, has now hit six hundreds (two tons in Tests, three centuries including a double ton in 50-overs format and a ton in T20 Internationals) across formats. On Day 3 of Ind vs Aus 4th Test at world's largest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, Shubman Gill (128) dazzled with a century -- his second century in Test cricket and 7th century in international cricket.

So what did he tell himself during the lean patch? "There was phase in the middle when I was scoring 40s and 50s (52 and 44 against New Zealand in 2021) and getting out and when I played the one-off fifth Test in England, I scored some 20 odd (17) and I got out early in that innings," Gill was quoted as saying by PTI as he recalled that not-so-great phase in his 15-Test career.

"I got a feeling that as soon as I was getting set, I was getting over defensive and over cautious. I was thinking now that I have got set, I will have to bat as long as possible. I was putting myself under too much pressure and that is not my game.

"Once I get set, then I get into a sort of rhythm and that's my game. So I had to tell myself that if I get dismissed while playing my natural game, then it is fine. But problem was I was getting out playing the type of game that doesn't come naturally to me," he explained.

The root cause was trying to play defensive game even when he felt set.

"If I get out trying to play a shot after getting set, I can accept that dismissal, because that's a shot and my execution wasn't proper. But if I get out playing a game which isn't my style then it became unacceptable to me," he was very precise in his thought process.

The key was to not put pressure on himself.

"So I had to tell myself that I shouldn't put too much pressure on myself when a situation like this arises next time, that I must convert now that I am set. I needed to keep it a bit free-flowing. It was more about mental make up and I focussed on that primarily."

(With PTI Inputs)