Gill details the mindset tweak which helped him out of ‘unproductive’ phase

India v Australia scorecard

Gill was the star performer for India on the third day. The opener scored 128 from 235 on a good batting track. By the time he departed, India had reached 245, more than half of Australia’s total. The hosts were firmly placed at the end of day’s play.

Gill ton leads India’s charge

Gill made his Test debut during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020/21. He impressed at the top with 259 runs at an average of 51.8.

At the back of this start, he became a part of the India Test setup but lost his place after suffering an injury during the England tour in 2021.

He has been in and out of the side since, and finally made his return in the third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Indore. His inclusion was at the expense of out-of-form opener KL Rahul.

Gill discussed how he hadn’t done well in the initial phase of his Test career, and he had put in efforts to get better in certain areas.

“I got out of the team when I got injured in 2021 after the World Test Championship. And then KL (Rahul) bhaicame and did really well for us. He scored centuries in England,“ Gill said. “To be honest, I don't think I had performed as well in Test cricket, up to my expectations. It was just an attempt to keep getting better at certain areas.

“If you are doing the right things, you'll get your chance, and it’s just about performing. I was just doing my practice and training.

“Getting chances is not up to me. It's up to the team management. I did all that was in my control.”

Gill elaborated on the phase during which he was dissatisfied with his game, and how he changed his mindset to counter it.

“There was a phase where I got four 40s or 50s. Right now in England, in one innings I scored 20 (17) and not much after that.

“So I felt that I was being over defensive after getting set. Being too cautious, and worrying that I need to convert this start into something big, I was putting too much pressure on myself. That isn’t my game. When I get set, I catch my rhythm.

“I’d rather accept being dismissed while going for a shot, because that’s my natural game. It wasn’t acceptable to me that I got out while trying to adapt to a style which didn’t come naturally to me. All of my dismissals in this period were off defensive shots.

“So it was necessary to tell myself, that once I got in the next time, I shouldn’t put myself under so much pressure. To tell myself that I have to keep my cricket free-flowing. Mentally, that was a greater (question). And I was focusing on the same.”

Gill's knock has put India in a fighting position in the fourth Test, with the hosts currently leading the series 2-1.