In demanding conditions, Shubman Gill responded well by putting to rest the perceived conception of the Indian batters’ weakness against spin bowling.
The opener, in the company of Rishabh Pant, stitched together a 167-run stand for the fourth wicket which has put them in sight of victory at close on the third day of the opening Test against Bangladesh in Chennai.
The wicket called for caution because of variable bounce and the batters never could settle down even after playing out a couple of sessions.
“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, who made 119 not out, told reporters at the news conference on Saturday.
But his use of feet against off spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz stood out and he used the same strategy against Shakib Al Hasan too.
“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 said.
“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 practised a lot before the series.”
This was Gill’s third ton in his last eight Test innings. He admitted that the series against England, where he scored 452 runs in five Tests with two centuries, boosted his confidence.
“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... (But) I think my best is yet to come,” he said.
