Shubman Gill says the best is yet to come, reveals insights on adapting to spin and overseas challenges

India captain Shubman Gill reflects on his breakthrough year and shares insights on mastering spin-friendly pitches, adjusting from overseas tours, and simplifying technique. He reveals advice from legends like Sachin and Steve Smith while focusing on consistency over WTC goals

Hyderabad: India captain Shubman Gill reflected on what he called a “breakthrough year” but insisted that the best is yet to come.

In a candid conversation on JioCinema (formerly JioHotstar), Gill acknowledged the challenges of playing on turning tracks and outlined a straightforward strategy for home conditions: hard, grinding cricket built around India’s world-class spinners and reverse swing.

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“This is one of the best years…”

On his breakthrough year, Gill said,

“Yeah, I think so. This is one of the best years, but I hope 2026 and 2027 will be even better. As a player, you always hope the next year and the year after are better.”

On India’s plan for home dominance

Discussing India’s continued dominance at home, Gill said,

“The plan is simple—hard, grinding cricket. We don’t want to win in 2–3 days. We know we have the best four spinners—Kuldeep, Jadeja, Axar and Washi (Washington Sundar). Any team coming to India knows the two biggest challenges: spin and reverse swing. We’ll test oppositions in both, but our focus is to play good cricket.”

On adapting from England to India

Speaking about the transition from playing in England to returning home, Gill said,

“It’s been a long time we’ve been playing on turners. Obviously, other teams know what we’re good at and what we need to work on. On such wickets, if a spinner bowls at 90–95 kph consistently, any batter in the world will struggle. New Zealand had an advantage because they had already played turners in Sri Lanka before coming here. We hadn’t.”

On overseas batting struggles

Recalling his lack of runs in overseas Tests, the 26-year-old opened up on how he approached the challenge:

“I definitely felt the pressure of not having a great record overseas. But the way I prepared, I was confident. Even a day, a week, or an hour before the match, it would play on my mind. But once you’re on the ground, all of that fades. You just focus on what you need to do in that moment.”

Simplifying the England strategy

Gill revealed the technical changes he made during the England series:

“I spoke to a lot of people who’ve scored runs in England. Everyone said one thing—plenty of runs come square of the wicket. But we misunderstood it at first—thinking it meant playing outside balls.”

“Then we decided to leave the outside ball. I simplified it—no early drives. Just defend on the front foot and leave. After 30–40 balls, the Dukes ball softens, and run-scoring becomes easier. The outfield is quick, so timing gives you boundaries. In the beginning, unless it was a half-volley, I avoided the cover drive.”

“Only straight drives, flicks, cuts, punches—no cover drive until I was completely sure the ball had stopped swinging or seaming.”

Learning from legends

Gill shared his preparation insights:

“Before leaving, I spoke to Sachin sir. I also got Steve Smith’s number from Matthew Wade and spoke to him. Both told me the same thing—defend straight, score square.”

On the WTC mindset

Regarding the team’s approach to the World Test Championship, Gill said,

“We talk more about winning every series than the WTC. But yes, if such a strong team doesn’t qualify, it would be disappointing.”