Day 3 of Mumbai Test ‘critical’ for India’s WTC final hopes, says Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill at the Press Conference on Day 2 of the Test Match (Credit: Subhayan Chakraborty)

With New Zealand ending Day 2 of the third and final Test against India at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai with a lead of 143 runs and one wicket in hand, the pressure will be on India on Day 3 to avoid a clean sweep, while also staying alive in the race to the ICC World Test Championship final. Shubman Gill said that the third day of the Mumbai Test, possibly the last of the three-match rubber, would see the team come out with full intensity in a bid to win the game.

“Definitely very critical,” Gill told reporters at the end of Day 2. “Each and every match that we play is going to determine if we’re going to make it into the World Test Championship final. So, every match that we play, we’re going to come with our full intensity and play it as best as we can.”

Though Gill missed out on a century, getting out for 90 (146 balls) to Ajaz Patel, he stitched a crucial 96-run partnership with Rishabh Pant. He went on to have small but significant partnerships with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar as India finished with 263, and a slender lead of 28. It was a stroke-filled first hour on Day 2 as Gill and Pant put the pressure back on Kiwi bowlers.

“I think when you put the bowlers under pressure, it is difficult for them to move,” said Gill.“The way Rishabh came in and started hitting those boundaries, they were not, in that particular session, very consistent with their line and length. So that’s how we were able to cash in. It was all about trying to put them under pressure because then it’s difficult. If we are playing our shots, then it’s difficult for the bowlers to be able to bowl in that area consistently.”

When asked whether his knock was one of his best in the longest format of the game, given the sharp turn and bounce on the Wankhede track, Gill said: “Yes, definitely it’s one of my better knocks that I’ve played in Test cricket. And in the lead up to this Test match, it was all about me working on the areas that I’ve worked before the England series that we played. I think when I was batting in that series, I was batting at my best against spinners.

“I was honestly trying to have fun. I love batting. I try to think of it as just going out there and having another opportunity to bat, and bat for the maximum time that I can. I was not trying to put too much pressure on myself, thinking I have to score these many runs. I was trying to have fun in the middle and enjoy that moment, even if it was difficult. Just enjoy the difficult moments. I just feel when I’m batting out there, if I would put too much pressure on myself, then I’m losing out on the fun of the art of batting.”

In Pune, Yashasvi Jaiswal came out with an attacking approach, scoring 77 off 65 before a middle-order collapse took the game away from India. On Day 2 in Mumbai, Pant and Gill started the proceedings with a similar approach with the left-hand batter scoring 60 off just 59balls. A total of 163 is the highest that has been chased at the Wankhede Stadium, by South Africa back in 2000. Could a similar attacking approach against the new, hard ball be the decisive factor for India?

“It’s all about being calculative, I think,” said Gill. “Everybody is going to have their personal plans, which are going to align with the team plan. And if a certain batsman thinks that’s the best way for him to be able to score runs on that wicket, yeah, for sure.”

India were able to bounce back on Day 2 with the bat, but the last 15 minutes on Day 1, where India lost Jaiswal, Mohammed Siraj and Virat Kohli, put them in a precarious position in the Test.

“Yesterday, yes, there was a bit of panic, definitely,” said Gill. “But I think this is what Test cricket is all about. There are moments where you think everyone is rattled, and then there are moments like we came this morning and we had a great first hour, hour and a half.”