Shubman Gill displayed a masterclass in traditional batting techniques as he went "old-school" to counter Bangladesh's spinners on a tricky Chennai surface. On Saturday, during the third day of the first Test, Gill crafted an unbeaten 119, guiding India to a commanding position with a second-innings declaration at 287 for four, setting a formidable 514-run lead.
The pitch in Chennai had shown signs of variable bounce, posing a challenge for the batters, particularly against spin. However, Gill employed a time-tested method of using his feet to negate the spin and stay in control of the conditions.
“Initially when I used to practice, especially against spinners, I used to step down trying to rotate. It's the same here because it's hard for bowlers to settle on a wicket like this where the odd one is turning but not all the balls are turning,” Gill told reporters in the post-day press meet.
“It's something that I started practising when I was very young because I was always a tall guy. So, it was easier for me to use my feet and play along the ground. Playing in the air and hitting sixes actually came a bit later when I got a little bit more power in my body,” he explained.
“Definitely, scoring runs against any opposition gives you a lot of confidence and that's what I have been working on. So, it (scoring against spinners) gives me a lot of satisfaction. I practiced a lot before the series,” Gill added.
In the series against England, Gill had showcased an impressive performance, scoring nearly 500 runs. This significantly enhanced his confidence in the longer format of the game.
“I think the series that I had against England gave me a lot of confidence. I felt it was a long time coming for me, especially batting at that position (No. 3). And having got out the way I got out in the first innings (down the leg-side), I was obviously very disappointed.
“But it further motivated me to be able to spend a lot of time on the crease and put extra value on my wicket. I think my best is yet to come,” he noted.