The vice-captain of the Indian team, Shubman Gill, was under a little pressure coming into the third and final Test of the home season 2024-25 against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium. The right-handed batter looked in a healthy touch during the opening encounter against Bangladesh in Chennai when he celebrated a century in the second innings of the game.
Shubman Gill didn’t have a superb time against the Kiwis, as he missed the first game of the series in Bengaluru due to injury before not putting a remarkable score at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. The series was already gone when they reached the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Still, in the scenario of the World Test Championship (WTC) final of the 2023-25 season, it was a vital encounter for the Blue Brigade.
India was under pressure, losing three quick wickets towards the tiny 15-minute period at the end of the first day’s play. Gill, standing from the other end of the crease, saw the batting leaning into destruction. The need, on that low and slow turner, was to get the runs quickly and get past the 235 runs of the visitors in the first innings.
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Shubman Gill put up a fine 96-run stand for the fifth wicket with Rishabh Pant, who also notched up his half-century. But the Punjab-born stayed longer and enjoyed one life already in the game thanks to the dropped catch, extended his knock to 90 runs in 146 deliveries, shouldering on seven boundaries and one six.
Shubman Gill credits this quality for his 90-run knock in the first innings of the Mumbai Test
He fell short of a well-deserved century after getting the edge against Ajaz Patel into the hands of the slip fielder in the 54th innings. However, the veteran has praised the knock as one of his best in the longest format of the game.
“One of my better knocks in Test. To have a consistent mindset while playing spinners. We were trying to put them under pressure. We were having fun. It is difficult for bowlers to bowl consistently if we keep hitting them.” Shubman Gill addressed the press conference at the end of the second day’s play.
He continued his strong returns at the number three spot in the ongoing year, having crossed the 800-run mark in ten Test matches. The batter credited the change of routine in his batting, besides pointing out how he applied more repetition in the nets in the last few months.
“I worked on my game before the England series started. I didn’t get that much time because of injury. Before the Pune Test, I got net sessions. Conversations with the coach were to have more repetition of the practice I do.” The 25-year-old expressed during the presser. “I’ve been having a great year. I was confident going into this game. When you are playing for the country, you enjoy it.”
The batter has smashed 1709 runs in 52 innings at an average of over 36 and a strike rate of more than 60, shouldering on six centuries and five half-centuries at a best score of 128 runs.
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One of the hallmarks of the knock for the batter was how he used his feet in playing the big shots and mostly looked to keep the scoring rate ongoing, which kept on putting constant pressure on the opponent’s side.
“Every batter has their plans. It is about coming out with clarity. If someone thinks attacking cricket will work, then we should back it.” Shubman Gill concluded that he now aims to carry the same form by going into the five Test matches in Australia during the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25.