India top-order batter Shubman Gill admitted that his red-ball batting is a concern following his lean run in Test cricket of late.
Gill has been averaging less than 45 in the last three seasons in Tests with his latest outing in the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia yielding just 93 runs from five innings with a highest score of 31.
The 25-year-old returned to domestic cricket with Punjab in their Ranji Trophy 2024-25 group clash against Karnataka. The Punjab skipper was dismissed for just 4 in the first innings as they were all out for 55, but scored a valiant 102 in the second innings in a losing cause.
Gill returned as the eighth wicket as Punjab were dismissed for 213 to lose the match by an innings and 207 runs.
“Red-ball batting is a concern. Sometimes, I think with the red ball, in the matches that I play, I get very good 25-30 runs,” Gill said after the match as quoted by Hindustan Times.
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Gill felt that he needs to lessen the pressure on himself to score big runs as it is not part of his natural game.
“I think in those moments, sometimes I put too much pressure on myself to be able to score big runs. I think that is not the way that I have grown up playing my game,” he said.
In the Border Gavaskar Trophy, the pattern repeated multiple times as he had good starts but it never materialised into a fifty as he went for a big shot and perished.
“There is a certain zone that I am in, certain intent that I am in and sometimes I think I lose that because I put too much pressure on myself that I have to get a big run now that I am set.I think in those crucial moments, I sometimes lose my focus and concentration. I think it keeps you in the game all the time,” the right-hander said.
Hoping to do better in Ranji Trophy
Speaking of his century in the second innings, Gill felt it was a satisfactory knock even though it wasn’t enough to bail Punjab out of the losing situation.
“I think this innings was very satisfying for me, the way I played. The first, I think, in 130 balls, I scored 40-odd runs, and they were bowling well and there was some help on the wicket as well. So, keeping that in mind, I think I was very satisfied with the way that I was playing,” Gill said.
Gill will hope to play better and inspire Punjab in the final group game against Bengal beginning on January 30 at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Punjab are currently fifth in the Elite Group C with 1 win, 3 losses and 2 draws. They are mathematically out of the quarterfinals race and have only pride to play for.
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