Indian Test opener Shubman Gill who is expected to be a starter for the ICC Test Championship final against New Zealand feels that clarity is very important while opening the innings in the longest format.
"As an opener, not just in England but everywhere, you need to know how to play out sessions. Playing sessions is very important. It has been seen in England that whenever it is cloudy, the ball swings a lot,” Gill was quoted as saying by India TV.
When there is sun, the pitch becomes good for batting. It is necessary to assess conditions as an opener,” Gill added.
Gill had a sensational start to his Test career Down Under when he played a pivotal role in India’s historic triumph. His knock of 91 was instrumental in breaching the Gabba fortress. Despite low returns during the home series in England, Gill continues to be India’s preferred opener with Rohit Sharma.
The stylish batsman is of the opinion that the team has produced quality performances on overseas tours and backed their chances in the inaugural Test Championship final stating that they couldn't be better prepared than this.
“Our performance in Australia was very good. Over the last few years, we have been doing very well on away tours, so our confidence is very high. I think we can’t be better prepared for the World Test Championship (WTC) final than this,” said Gill.
The young batsman was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He lacked consistency and couldn’t quite get his team off to good starts. However, he feels that facing the likes of Pat Cummins and Lockie Ferguson in the nets has helped him mould his game which should keep him in good stead.
“It helps a lot when you play good bowlers in nets and play them for a long period of time. Your confidence is very high. Like in our KKR (Kolkata Knight Riders) team, we had good bowlers like Ferguson and Cummins,” he said.
“Definitely, you get high on confidence. When you go out and play a match, you know what they’ll bowl. Those things matter,” Gill concluded.