I went back to how I used to bat as a kid: Shubman Gill on his record double hundred

Speaking on JioHotstar’s ‘Match Centre Live’ after the conclusion of Day 2 of the second Test between India and England, Indian Test captain Shubman Gill reflected on how he adapted his batting technique to the conditions at Edgbaston.

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“I felt the ball had gone soft, and my shots were going straight to the fielders. I was around 35–40 off 100 balls and spoke to Gautam bhai about struggling to find boundaries. The runs weren’t coming as freely as they did in the first Test, and I knew if I was set, I had to stay till the end and finish the job. The learnings from the last match were clear — lower-order collapses can happen quickly in these conditions, so my focus was to bat deep and cut down on mistakes. I had worked on my initial movement and set-up during the IPL and in the lead-up to this series. Earlier, I’d often get out around the 30s and 40s — perhaps due to missing my peak concentration window. This time, I went back to the basics — how I used to bat as a kid. I focused on rhythm, stayed relaxed, and didn’t think about the score. The idea was to enjoy my batting and stay in the moment.”

Gill reflected on the challenges of switching formats, especially from T20 to Test cricket. “Shifting between formats isn’t easy — especially from T20 to Test cricket. Over the last four or five years, we’ve seen how drastically the technique, mindset and overall set-up change. After three months of playing instinct-based cricket, it’s tough to suddenly switch gears and rein it all in. That’s why I started practicing with the red ball during the IPL itself — just to recondition my mind and body for Test match cricket. Test to T20 is manageable, but the other way around really tests your discipline.”

Jonathan Trott also praised Shubman Gill’s adaptability and tactical clarity during his Edgbaston innings. “The pitch here didn’t have the same pace as Headingley — maybe a bit more carry, but it challenged batters differently. For someone like Shubman, who thrives on pace, that can be tricky. But what stood out was how he didn’t let that affect him. He had worked on his technique, and even though it wasn’t all going his way, he found a method. That’s the biggest lesson from this innings — he found a way. He absorbed pressure when needed, accelerated when required, and delivered a perfect knock. That’s what great players do.”