In 25 Tests, Gill has scored 1,492 runs at an average of 35.52, with four centuries and six fifties in 46 innings. His best score is 128
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Bengaluru
Indian opener Shubman Gill said on Wednesday said that he is not satisfied with his performance in Test cricket. Gill was speaking ahead of the Duleep Trophy opener against India B in Bengaluru, which will start from Thursday. Gill will be leading the India A team.
Speaking ahead of the competition, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo, Gill said that he has not performed in Tests as per his own expectations, but looks forward to performing in the upcoming 10-match long Test season, starting with Bangladesh from September 19, with two Tests and concluding with the highly-anticipated Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia from November 22 onwards. In between, India will also play three Tests against New Zealand at home, following the Bangladesh home Tests.
“Yes, definitely, I have not reached my expectations yet. But we have ten Test matches ahead of us back-to-back. So hopefully after these ten Test matches, I will be able to meet my expectations,” said Gill as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
Gill, one of India’s premier white-ball cricketers, shot to stardom with an audacious knock of 91 against Australia at the Gabba back in 2021, which helped India hand over a rare loss to Aussies at their fortress after over 32 years and secure the series.
Though his white-ball numbers stayed largely consistent since his days in the 2018 U19 World Cup winning team, Gill battled inconsistent form in the longer format of the game following this breakthrough series against Australia, in which he had scored 259 runs in six innings at an average of 51.80 with two fifties.
After poor performances during the tour to England, ICC World Test Championship final and the tour to South Africa between 2022 and early 2024, Gill’s place in Test side was questioned.
However, with a fine series against England at home, he was able to shut all the outside noise. In six Tests and 11 innings this year, Gill has scored 498 runs at an average of 49.80, with two centuries and two fifties. His best score is 110.
In 25 Tests, Gill has scored 1,492 runs at an average of 35.52, with four centuries and six fifties in 46 innings. His best score is 128. The Punjab batter is a strong first-class cricket batter, with 4,034 runs in 52 matches at an average of 49.80, with 12 centuries and 18 fifties coming in 90 innings. His best score is 268.
Gill said that he is working on his “defensive game” especially against spinners, which helped him score well against England in the five-match series this year. Before this series, Gill’s Test average was 30.59, but raised significantly after the series to over 35. The batter said that too many T20s can also affect a player’s defensive game since they are playing a more attacking game.
Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal opened up about his partnership at the top with skipper Rohit Sharma, saying that it is an “incredible experience” to bat with him and one can learn a lot of things from him, such as adjusting his batting on seaming or turning tracks.
Jaiswal was speaking to the reporters ahead of the Duleep Trophy opener scheduled for Thursday. The red-ball competition will mark the beginning of the domestic cricket season. India B, led by Abhimanyu Easwaran, will be playing against Shubman Gill-led India A in Bengaluru.
Speaking to the reporters, Jaiswal said, “It is an incredible experience whenever I go out and bat with him. He has shared his experiences with me. I think the way he controls the game and understands the wicket, it is spot on and there are a lot of things (to learn from him). You can learn from him things like adjusting your batting to seaming or turning tracks or change your batting when a wicket or two fall.”
Jaiswal said that after batting with Rohit, he is able to see a lot of scenarios in the game himself and shift the game accordingly.
“I think these are very important for me in the last one year. When I was playing domestic cricket, I was not aware of many things. But since I started playing international cricket, the communication and the reading of the game have improved a lot. I just want to keep learning,” he added. “It gives us a lot of confidence and helps us to play fearlessly,” he added.
