The top order batter Shubman Gill has revealed India’s game plan for the upcoming third test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy. After a historic win in the first test, India suffered a 10-wicket victory in the pink-ball test.
Gill admitted that the fall of wickets at the other end has affected his game in the Adelaide test but expressed confidence in delivering a strong lineup in the first innings aiming for a huge total.
“As a batting group, we are looking to post a big total first up. That’s been the key discussion and every batter has his game plan,” Gill said in the pre-match press conference.
Gill believes that he will not curb his natural game. “I still have the freedom as a batter. One of the challenges is whether you can play the game you want to play, irrespective of what’s happening at the other end and irrespective of the scorecard.
“I faltered in the first innings because of what happened at the other end and I take that upon myself.” There was a four-over period in which Gill faced just one ball and that affected his concentration.
“And there was a period when I didn’t face much — may be one ball in four overs and then when I faced a delivery I missed a completely fuller ball. These are challenges you face. You might not face a ball for four overs or you might end up facing 18 balls on the trot,” Shubman Gill explained.
India have at least six scores of 150 or less in recent times and Gill admitted that the piece of stat isn’t lost up the batting group.
Adelaide Test, we didn’t do well but the series is still 1-1. We will treat it as a three-match Test series and if we win this one, we will have advantage going into Melbourne and Sydney.”
“Walking into the stadium after 2021 with the team, definitely it felt very nostalgic.” While asked about Rohit Sharma missing the optional training Gill replied, “This was an optional session and he has already practised a lot.”
Shubman Gill feels that Gabba strip was a good one to bat on and India woudl fare much better in a traditional day test.
“In a pink ball game, it is a little bit harder to gauge the seam from the hand of a bowler, especially when you are playing at night. We are a bit more used to playing with the red ball during the day than the dynamics of a pink ball test, we don’t play as much.”
“Conditions are a bit challenging but there is a period between 30-35th over till the second new ball is taken (81st over), it becomes easier for batting,” he said.
Shubman Gill said there is certain sense of familiarity about the Australian attack. “You have played against them enough and their Test side in last 5-6 years hasn’t changed much apart from a couple of changes here and there due to niggles.”
“Both teams know which areas of each other we are going to target. We knew what would be the challenges of coming here and so in these kind of series there is lot more about mental tactic than skills,” he feels.
Australia skipper Pat Cummins on eve of the third test had spoken about using the short ball tactice which game them success in Adelaide but Gill is not ready to back down.
“I think they got one tail-ender and another (lower middle order) batter out with short ball. So, I am actually not aware what success is he talking about,” Gill said.
The third match of the Australia-India tests will begin on December 14 at The Gabba.
