Shubman Gill, who played a pivotal role in India’s historic Test win against Australia in Brisbane, shared his experiences and how he learned to cope with the pressure of reaching that elusive three-digit mark.
Shubman Gill’s exploits in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2020-21 are etched in cricketing history. The right-handed batsman played a crucial role in India’s Test victory against Australia in Brisbane, scoring 91 runs, studded with eight fours and two sixes, in the second innings. This remarkable performance was instrumental in India’s pursuit of a daunting target of 328 runs on the final day.
In an interview with GQ India, Shubman Gill revealed his intense hunger for a century in international cricket. He acknowledged that there was immense pressure on him to reach this milestone.
“I was sitting there all that time wondering when I would hit some big-time runs. All I need is a start. Once I get that start [snaps fingers], I know that I’m ‘on.’ During the rehab phase, I was desperate to get my first international hundred,” said Gill.
While reflecting on his journey, Gill admitted that he might have been trying too hard to achieve that coveted century. He described a moment of self-realization when he said, “Maybe I was trying too hard. I sat there and told myself, ‘You’ve played enough innings, you’ve missed out once in Australia, and you don’t want to miss out again.’ That’s when I realized I was putting too much pressure on myself.”
Despite several near-misses, Shubman Gill finally broke the century jinx in an ODI against Zimbabwe. He smashed 130 runs from just 97 balls on a challenging pitch. This moment marked a significant breakthrough in his international career, ending the wait for his maiden ODI century.
‘If You Want To Win The World Cup, Then You Have To Beat…’, Gautam Gambhir Comes With An Interesting Analysis
Shubman Gill attributed his strong performances to his successful stint in the Indian Premier League (IPL), followed by a remarkable run in one-day matches. His maiden century in Zimbabwe was a turning point that gave him the confidence he needed.
“We won the IPL, I did well, and I got more chances with the one-day team. I had a good six matches, and that’s when it clicked. Once I got my first hundred in Zimbabwe, I could feel that I’m going to go off now,” he added.
