Shubman Gill's magnificent double century at Edgbaston against England wasn't without its challenges. Despite the seemingly effortless elegance with which he crafted his 269, Gill revealed that he had to overcome a sense of struggle early in his innings. He shared that a crucial conversation with team mentor Gautam Gambhir helped him regain his rhythm and confidence.
Gill admitted that he found it difficult to score boundaries freely in the initial stages of his innings. "Yesterday, when I went out to bat, which came around lunchtime on Day 1, at Tea, by which I had scored around 35-40, I spoke to GG bhai, telling him that I found it difficult getting boundaries and I was missing out on a lot of opportunities," Gill said. He felt that even though he had a wide array of shots at his disposal, the runs weren't flowing as easily as he had hoped. He also noted that the ball had become soft, making it harder to pierce the field.
In that moment of uncertainty, Gill turned to Gautam Gambhir for guidance. Gambhir's advice was simple yet effective: "He asked me to hang in there". Gambhir told him to stay patient and keep things simple. Gill recalled Gambhir telling him to just hang in there and the runs would eventually come. This reassurance from Gambhir proved to be the turning point for Gill. "That chat unlocked my rhythm," Gill acknowledged.
Gill's double century not only showcased his exceptional talent but also his mental fortitude and adaptability. He admitted that switching between formats, especially from T20 to Test cricket, can be difficult. The need to adjust his technique and mindset requires significant effort. Gill said he started training for Tests during the IPL season itself. He worked on his initial movement and stance, aiming to rediscover the joy of batting. "At the end of the IPL, I worked on my technique. I worked on my initial movement and stance... So, I wanted to enjoy my batting," said Gill.
He consciously shifted his focus from the pressure of scoring runs to simply enjoying his time at the crease. "Sometimes, when you aren't scoring runs fluently, you stop enjoying your batting. You focus too much on the need to score runs. I felt I had lost that in my batting. I was so focused that I wasn't enjoying my batting as much,” Gill said. In this series, Gill tried to go back to his basics and bat like he used to in his childhood, not thinking about scores or playing long innings but just enjoying his batting.
Moreover, Gill emphasized the importance of learning from past experiences. He recalled the lessons from the previous match, where a lower-order collapse highlighted the need for set batsmen to bat deep and minimize mistakes. "The runs weren't coming as freely as they did in the first Test, and I knew if I was set, I had to stay till the end and finish the job. The learnings from the last match were clear—lower-order collapses can happen quickly in these conditions, so my focus was to bat deep and cut down on mistakes," he added. Gill's innings ensured India took control of the Test.
Ultimately, Shubman Gill's double century was a testament to his resilience, his willingness to seek guidance, and his ability to adapt to challenging situations. It was a blend of technical adjustments, mental fortitude, and a renewed focus on enjoying the game that propelled him to achieve this remarkable feat.
