Gill explains how he negated Bangladesh’s spin threat on Day 3 in Chennai, expresses joy over Pant's comeback ton

Shubman Gill bounced back in style after getting dismissed for a duck on the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh, bringing up his fifth Test hundred a couple of days later that, together with Rishabh Pant's ton, has put the home team in the driving seat.

Gill remained unbeaten on 119, making good use of his feet to nullify Bangladesh’s spin threat and eventually bringing up the three-figure mark in 161 deliveries. The Indian No 3 added 167 for the fourth wicket with Pant that helped India post 287/4 in their second innings and set the visitors an improbable 515-run target.

After the day’s play, which ended with Bangladesh on 158/4 and their skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto batting on 51, Gill revealed focusing on his footwork on a pitch that had a hint of variable bounce was how he had planned to unsettle the opposition’s spinners, who had played an important role in Bangladesh’s historic victory in Pakistan.

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“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 told reporters in the post-day press meet.

That strategy was on view when he stepped out to hammer off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz for a six in the 64th over, while a few overs earlier he meted out the same treatment to Shakib Al-Hasan.

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On that occasion, Gill shimmied down to slap a flighted delivery from the left-arm spinner to the fence to collect four runs.

Gill said he has been training to use his feet against the spinners from a very young age, and kept adding new layers as the age advanced.

“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 explained.

“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 practiced a lot before the series,” Gill added.

The day’s hundred was Gill’s third ton in his last eight Test innings, with the other two coming against England at Visakhapatnam and Dharamsala earlier this year.

The 25-year-old admitted that the series against the ‘Three Lions’ where he scored nearly 500 runs has boosted his self-belief in the longest format.

“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 (No. 3). And having got out the way I got out in the first innings (down the leg-side), I was obviously very disappointed.

“But it further motivated me to be able to spend a lot of time on the crease and put extra value on my wicket. I think my best is yet to come,” he noted.

Gill lauds Pant

However, Gill was not alone in his venture at Chepauk as Pant supported him from the other end, making a hundred for himself.

Pant is playing a Test match for the first time since that life-threatening car accident in 2022, and Gill was happy for his teammate.

“I have spent a lot of time with him on and off the field and watching him score his first 50 and first 100 after his comeback gives me so much pleasure.

“I have seen him work so hard for it when he was coming back from the injury and I think he also must be feeling really good,” said Gill.

Read | Pant returns like he never left with record-equalling century on Day 3 in Chennai

Fun moments also have no dearth when these two effervescent young men batting out in the middle.

The little moments of celebrations between Pant and Gill had this unusual pattern of — two taps of gloves and one tap of the bats.

Gill explained it amidst a peel of laughter.

“I was telling him not to (hit bat twice) because I’m playing with a bat that I played against England. My bat is quite old.

“He was hitting my bat so hard. I was telling him that I’m trying to save my bat,” Gill giggled.

With PTI inputs