Biggest Doubt In Australia Is Whether You Will Be Able To Handle Pace - Shubman Gill Reveals Thought Process During Gabba Knock
The unsung hero in India’s famous comeback at the Gabba, Shubman Gill, opened up on how he chose the bowlers to attack and what he thought was the biggest challenge on Australian pitches.
Rishabh Pant’s knock of 89* might have stolen the limelight in India’s run chase but Gill’s 91-run knock at the top of the order set the platform for India. He played aggressive cricket and ensured that India was always on the course to play for the win.
“As a youngster making your debut in Australia, the biggest doubt in your mind is whether you will be able to hand the pace. Pat Cummins and Starc are known for their pace and Josh Hazlewood for his line and length. But when I was able to conquer that doubt and I felt comfortable handling that pace, then it was all about my mindset.”
“He and Cummins were bowling short at us and my idea was to attack Starc. If you go back and watch that innings again, you will notice that not once did I pull Cummins. The pull shots were off Starc, keeping in mind the shorter square boundary from that side,” Gill told journalist, Jamie Alter, in an interview for GQ magazine.
“The idea was to hit every bouncer that Starc sent down” – Shubman Gill
Assessing which boundary he wanted to target based on how big they are, Gill determined that the end from which Starc was bowling gave access to the smaller side on the ground and he, therefore, opted to attack every bouncer that the Aussie speedster threw.
“I felt that even if I got a top edge, it would clear the fielders and get me boundaries because he was bowling at good pace. The end from which Cummins was bowling had a much bigger boundary, so I told myself to only attempt the pull shot against Starc and leave the short balls from Cummins alone. The idea was to hit every bouncer that Starc sent down, and it paid off for me that day,” Gill added.
In the end, it was the perfect run chase on a fifth-day track that led to India’s most famous Test series victory.
