Battling against a barren run of 12 innings without even a half-century, which sparked discussions on whether India should stick with him in the playing XI when the likes of Virat Kohli return, Shubman Gill responded in top-class fashion, scoring his first-ever century batting at No. 3 for the national side and third overall. Despite the fine knock, there was an expression of disappointment on his face when he was dismissed for 104, en route to India handing England a target of 399 in the second Test in Visakhapatnam. Although it was merely down to Gill missing the opportunity to get a bigger score for his team, he later revealed that he is likely to get pulled up by his father for the reckless shot that ended his knock.
More than a needless swing of the bat, Gill was undone by the mind game played by England captain Ben Stokes with the constant fielding shuffles. Against the fuller delivery outside off from Shoaib Bashir, the India No. 3 hurriedly attempted a reverse sweep and ended up missing it as the ball lobbed off the gloves and England wicketkeeper Ben Foakes grabbed it. Although it was given not out on the field, England succeeded on the review.
Speaking to former India head coach Ravi Shastri about the dismissal at the end of day’s play in Sunday in Vizag, Gill revealed that he would get to know about his father’s reaction to that dismissal after reaching the hotel, although admitting that he most likely would be pulled up.
“I think so,” Gill told Jio Cinema hesitantly. “I’ll get to know once I get back to the hotel but I think so. He comes for most of my games, there’s no such pressure.”
En route to his big knock, Gill survived twice, the first happened when he was batting on 4. Tom Hartley handed him the early scare with the finger going up immediately in the lbw appeal from England. But it was Shreyas Iyer who suggested Gill to go for the review. The UltraEdge showed a spike, and there was a bit of a deflection as well as the third umpire overturned the call. The other one happened five deliveries later when umpire’s call saved him from another lbw scare, this time from James Anderson.
“Definitely very pleased but I left a bit out there to be honest. The first one I didn’t feel it (inside edge onto pad). Shreyas told me to take it in case it’s umpire’s call. I saw the point fielder go there and I thought it was a percentage shot,” Gill told Shastri.
Gill’s 104 helped India set a target of 399 runs before England reduced it to 332 with the opening pair of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett stitching a half-century stand. India, however, did get a breakthrough before the close of Day 3 with Ashwin dismissing the left-hander.
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