'I was getting out playing the type of game that doesn't come naturally to me' - Shubman Gill opens up on his 'disappointing' dismissals

After notching up his second Test century on the batting surface of the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Indian opener Shubman Gill opened up about various aspects of his playing career. He talked about a 'disappointing' phase in his career and also revealed how he took himself out of the lean patch. 

On Day 3 of the final Test of the 2022-23 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Gill emerged as the best performer for India, scoring 128 runs off 235 balls. With Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, he stitched up two crucial partnerships of 113-run and 58-run, respectively, to help the team reach a comfortable position at the end of the day’s play. His magnificent innings came to an end after star spinner Nathan Lyon trapped him lbw.

After an exhausting day, Gill spoke about the not-so-great phase of his brief Test career and also revealed how he managed to overcome that phase. 

Talking about that part of his career where he was failing to convert good starts, Gill said that back then, he used to put unnecessary pressure on himself, thus averting from his natural game.

"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.

He also added how playing with a defensive approach affected his game.

"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."

Gill further went on to reveal the changes he incorporated in his mental set-up to not come under the burden of his own expectations. He said it was important for him to keep his game 'free-flowing'.

"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."

Gill talks about Ahmedabad surface after incredible day on field

Shubman Gill also opened up about the playing conditions in Ahmedabad, surprisingly, enumerating the difficulties he had to encounter while playing the scintillating innings. He also cited the importance of singles on such wickets.

Talking about difficulties he faced while batting on Ahmedabad’s surface, he said,

"I think on wickets like these, it is difficult to score runs fluently but it is also important that on these wickets you need to be positive and keep looking for those singles."

He further spoke about the ravishing six he hit off Nathan Lyon late in the second evening, which grabbed eyeballs. He mentioned that the Indian skipper who was batting with him at the other end, had to be explained why that was the perfect shot for him.

"He (Rohit) just came and he was little surprised. But I said that was my shot. If the off-spinner is bowling on a good wicket that we are playing now and the field is up and that was my shot and I was confident I will hit him for a boundary (six)."

After spending a lot of time playing on cement wickets back home in Mohali, the youngster has become familiar with horizontal bat shots. Talking about his process of playing on-drives with a straight bat, he said,

"I think one of those shots that automatically develops when you play bouncer. I am used to playing bouncers with a plastic ball on cement surfaces and the balls which were a little fuller. It developed as I practised it over and over (again) and it was more instinctive than anything else." 

Gill also added that one has to train one’s mind not to play irresponsible shots on a pitch like that of Ahmedabad when there are periods of interval.

"You have to remind yourself constantly that things are going well because there was a phase where we didn't hit a boundary for the longest time and at that time, you had to tell yourself that its okay if you are not getting runs now but if you stick to your processes then there will be an over where you will get 2-3 boundaries. So process is not to lose patience, you can get out but also you might be able to get boundaries."

Gill was also asked if missing out on the first two Tests was frustrating and how he coped up with that. Replying to that, Gill said that while getting opportunities wasn't for him to decide, he was giving his best in things that he could have control on.

"To be honest not much. I was just practising, training and getting opportunities is not up to me but to team management. I was doing everything that was under my control," Gill replied.

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