Shubman Gill learned backfoot game with ‘1500 short balls every day’
Shubman Gill impressed with his technique against short-pitch bowling, and his father has said he honed those skills during practice, often only using a stump as a bat.
Just 21-years of age, Gill debuted in the second Test against Australia, scored an attractive half-century in the next match before an elegant 91 in Brisbane set up India’s chase in the final Test to secure a 2-1 series win.
In the aftermath of the series, Gill’s father spoke of how he let him face 1500 short balls every day in practice, and sometimes let the ball bounce off a charpoy, a traditional woven bed.
“Since he was nine, I made him play 1500 short balls every day,” Gill’s father Lakhwinder Singh told the Times of India newspaper.
“The ball tends to travel faster after skidding off the charpoy.
“Besides that, he practised with a single stump as his bat. That helped Shubman in finding the middle of the bat more often than not.”
Originally from a village in Punjap, Gill’s family moved some 300km to Mohali in search of better facilities.
Singh also mentioned how he made his son practice on canvas matting wickets, to prepare him better for short-pitched bowling.
“The extra bounce that matting provides forces you to get in … the correct position,” Singh said.
“Batsmen who have played on matting pitches develop the ability to play on the backfoot, which is so essential for any higher level of cricket.”
Gill’s come of age in Australia has seemingly solved India’s opening woes, as Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal struggled against the new ball of late.
Gill and fellow opener Rohit Sharma will next try England for size, with the first of four home Tests starting on February 5.
Latest
-
NewsThe key questions for England after the series loss to New Zealand
The Black Caps inflicted a first series defeat on home soil since 2014 with victory at Edgbaston.
-
NewsChris Woakes is an all-round success as Bears give Derbyshire sore heads
Woakes took two for 38 and struck an unbeaten 13 off five balls in the away win at Derby.
-
NewsJoe Root will not panic over England’s poor batting at Edgbaston
The Black Caps dislodged India as the world’s number one Test side as a result of their eight-wicket win at Edgbaston.
-
-
NewsOn this day in 2013: David Warner suspended for altercation with Joe Root
The Australia batsman was banned from all cricket up to the first Ashes Test that summer and fined almost £7,000.
-
NewsEngland staring at New Zealand series defeat after day three of second Test
Sri Lanka were the last touring side to deal England a bloody nose on their own soil.
-
NewsChris Silverwood admits England’s performance is not good enough in second Test
The game was all but lost by stumps with the scoreboard reading 122 for nine.
-
NewsEngland collapse leaves dominant New Zealand on brink of memorable series win
England have not lost a home series since 2014.
-
NewsNew Zealand on top in second Test after England openers fall
A last-wicket partnership had earlier helped hand the Black Caps a handy lead.