Bengaluru, January 26: Indian batter Shubman Gill expressed satisfaction with his Ranji Trophy century on return to the premier first-class competition and opened up on how too much pressure causes him to lose his focus and concentration while batting in Test cricket.
Gill's Ranji Trophy return was a mixed affair. While his team slipped to a massive defeat by an innings and 207 runs to Karnataka, the stylish Punjabi batter scored a fine 102 in 171 balls (with 14 fours and three sixes) to hold the second innings together after an individual and collective setback in the first inning. Put to bat first by Karnataka, Punjab was flattened by Karnataka for just 55 runs, with Gill making just four.
Following that, a double ton from Ravichandran Smaran (203 in 277 balls, with 25 fours and three sixes) took Karnataka to a massive 475. Punjab could not overcome the massive deficit of 420 runs and were folded for just 213 runs in their second innings, losing their third match in the competition so far, having managed just one win and two draws.
On a personal note, Gill was satisfied with his knock. He came back into the tournament after a horrific Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia away from home, making just 93 runs in five innings at a poor average of 18.60 and best score of 31.
Speaking as quoted by Wisden, Gill said, "I think this innings was very satisfying for me, the way I played. The first, I think, in 130 balls, I scored 40-odd runs, and they were bowling well and there was some help in the wicket as well."
"I think any innings that we play at any level, it is very important to be able to get runs, get back in form and have that feel. When you are playing well when you are in that zone, it is important to stay in that zone as long as possible and that is what I was trying to do when I was batting there."
However, Gill is still satisfied with his run in Test cricket, saying that the pressure to score big gets too much and causes him to lose focus and concentration. He expressed disappointment with his ability to convert his fine starts into big scores.
"Sometimes, I think with the red ball, in the matches that I play, I tend to get a very good 25-30 and, in those moments, I sometimes tend to put too much pressure on myself to be able to convert those. That is not the way that I have grown up playing my game," said Gill.
"There is a certain zone that I am in, certain intent that I am in. And sometimes I think I lose that because I put too much pressure on myself that I have to get a big run now that I am set. I think in those crucial moments, I sometimes lose my focus and concentration," he added.
Gill is not wrong in pointing out his inability to convert his starts into something meaningful. For someone hyped up as the heir apparent of batting legend Virat Kohli, Gill has a Test average of just 35.05 after 32 Tests and 59 innings. In his career, he has made 1,893 runs with five centuries, seven fifties and best score of 128.
In 34 of his Test innings out of 59, which is more than half, Gill has recorded scores of 20 or more. Out of these 34 innings, Gill has reached a score of 50 or more just 12 times.
While Gill's home record has improved thanks to a solid run of form last year, his form outside Asia remains a concern. At home, Gill has played 17 Tests, scoring 1,177 runs at an average of 42.03, with four centuries and five fifties in 31 innings with best score of 128.
Away from home in 15 Tests, Gill has made just 716 runs in 28 innings at an average of 27.53, with just one century and two fifties. In SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, South Africa) countries, Gill has not crossed the 40-run mark since his iconic 91-run knock against Australia at Brisbane in 2021, scoring just 255 runs in eight matches and 15 innings at an average of 17.00 and best score of 36.
