Matured Gill reflects on lessons from hard-fought England series
An elated Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj looked back on a tough and challenging series on English soil after India's triumph at The Oval.
Shubman Gill came into the England series with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. The 25-year-old’s last red-ball assignment was the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he managed just 93 runs in five innings.
Adding to the challenge was the significant shift in responsibility, as he took over the captaincy following Rohit Sharma’s retirement. With the series ending in a 2-2 draw, Gill admits it has been a steep but enjoyable learning curve for him as both a player and a leader, following India's thrilling six run win in London that squared the series.
"There are moments like these where you feel the journey is worth it. The moment that we had in the morning. There have been a lot of highs and lows, and that's kind of expected, especially with sports," said Gill.
"Obviously, every game or every time you go in to bat, you want to be able to perform. You want to be able to score a century. But unfortunately, that's not how the game or life works. You should be able to navigate through the highs and lows of life and try to stay balanced throughout.”
Gill, the captain, shone throughout the series - but more importantly, his contributions with the bat stood out. He amassed 754 runs in ten innings, including three centuries and a double century.
“That's what, at least, I believe in - that I want to be able to stay balanced, whether we have won the match, lost the match, I've done well or I've not done well. It's difficult, but it's a process. That's the real journey - to be able to stay balanced. I'm still learning, but so far, so good."
Alongside him was the star of the final Test, Mohammed Siraj, whose five-wicket haul in the final innings proved crucial in securing India’s dramatic six-run victory.
"I always believe in my bowling. I believe in myself that I can take wickets from any situation. This is my only belief. Whether I am bowling the 8th or the 1st spell, I don't care. But I want to give 100%.”
“Whatever result comes, I will take it. But I will give you 100%. Don't think too much. I never run after the result. I focus on the process — how much pressure I can build and how I can bowl in partnership. This is my mindset."
Gill and his decisions have come under scrutiny throughout the series - from team selection choices to fiery on-field moments. However, the young skipper remains unfazed, ready to stand by his decisions and take responsibility if they don’t pay off.
“You keep learning every day, because I learnt a lot from Day 1 in the series, till the last day. There were a lot of people who thought there should have been a fourth fast bowler, but the guy who played instead of the fourth bowler, Karun [Nair] his fifty in the first innings was equally important for us, which took us to a decent total.
"Such opinions will keep forming, especially in hindsight, after the match gets completed. But you got to weigh in what is important for you at that moment. We felt three fast bowlers will get the job done for us and they delivered.”
“When decisions go your way, people will praise you, but had it not gone India's way, I am aware that shots would have been taken at me and I am fine with that because at the end of the day I know I made the decision with was best for the team,”
Siraj was full of praise for Shubman Gill the captain, with whom he shares a deep bond - one that has grown over the years through shared dressing rooms with India A sides, the IPL, and now the national team.
“Shubman and I have been friends for a long time, we played together in India A, so our communication is very good. He is also the captain in Gujarat Titans, so there is a lot of understanding. I know his thinking. When I talk to him, he listens, so there is a lot of understanding. So our understanding is very good. It feels good that his growth is going up. Very happy for him."