Shubman Gill on double century: Went back to basics, had to bat deep

India captain Shubman Gill credited his Edgbaston double century to staying relaxed, batting deep, and returning to basics. Reflecting on format challenges, Gill said switching from T20 to Tests was tough. Experts praised his discipline and adaptability under pressure.

Hyderabad: India captain Shubman Gill, who hit a brilliant double century on the second day of the second Test against England at Birmingham on Thursday, said that he felt the ball had gone soft, and his 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,” Gill revealed in a chat with JioHotStar after the day’s play.

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“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 setup during the IPL and in the lead-up to this series,” Gill said.

“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,” he explained.

Reflecting on the challenges of switching formats, especially from T20 to Test cricket, Gill said that shifting between formats wasn’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,” he said.

“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,” Gill said.

For his part, former England star batter and JioStar expert Jonathan Trott

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,” Trott said.

“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,” he explained.

Former India pacer Varun Aaron said that Akash Deep is a ‘kiss-the-surface’ type of bowler, unlike guys like Carse, Tongue, or Prasidh Krishna who hit the deck hard.

“ On a pitch like this, which doesn’t have much bounce, bowlers like Akash and Siraj can extract just enough off the seam. Even when he hits the deck, it’s not bouncing excessively — but he’s getting lateral movement, which is key,” Aaron said.

“Akash’s perfectly suited for this kind of wicket. Maybe on a bouncier surface, someone like Prasidh becomes more useful, but here, Akash is the guy. He consistently hits that fuller length — not just letting the ball go but using the surface. That seam nibble is exactly what you need in these conditions,” he analysed.