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Gill adopts KISS approach batting at No. 3

February 07, 2025 13:49 IST

Shubman Gill, who usually opens in ODIs, batted at No3 in the opening match against England in Nagpur on Thursday

IMAGE: Shubman Gill, who usually opens in ODIs, batted at No3 in the opening match against England in Nagpur on Thursday. Photograph: BCCI

India's vice-captain and top-order batter Shubman Gill defended his shot-making that led to his dismissal while approaching his century, adding that he would have played the shot even if he was in his 60s.

Jos Buttler took a diving catch at mid-on off Saqib Mahmood's bowling as Gill, trying to pace the innings, mis-timed a shot to leave India at 235/6.

"No, I wasn't thinking about my century. I was focused on the field placements and played my shots accordingly. I wanted to dominate the bowler, and I would have played the same shot even if I was in my 60s," Gill said told Disney-Hotstar.

Gill, who usually opens the innings in ODIs, said he had no problem coming in at No.3 in the series against England.

 

"I play at No. 3 in Tests, so it wasn't a big adjustment. It's always a challenge at that position because you have to adapt to the game situation. If the team loses quick wickets, you need to play sensibly. If the team starts well, you need to carry the momentum. My approach was simple -- play according to the situation."

On young Indian players frequently choosing the sweep and reverse sweep shots against spinners, Gill said it was not a team strategy.

"It's an individual choice, not a team strategy. Every batsman has a plan to target specific areas. Many players are practicing sweeps and reverse sweeps in the nets to have more options while batting."

On his 94-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer (59) for the third wicket, Gill said once they had sized up the field, scoring runs became easy.

"We lost two early wickets, but the plan was to play according to the field and not hold back. After a few overs, the line and lengths became predictable, which helped us score faster."

 

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