Shubman Gill played a crucial innings for India on Day 2 of the third Test against New Zealand at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Saturday. The young opener, who was returning after missing the first Test in Bengaluru due to injury, scored a solid 90 off 146 balls, which he described as one of his best performances in Test cricket. His knock, along with Rishabh Pant’s contribution, helped India post a respectable total of 263 in their first innings.

Despite falling short of a well-deserved century, Gill was pleased with his performance. He was dismissed by New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel in the 54th over, edging the ball to the slips. After the second day’s play, Gill reflected on his innings during the press conference, emphasizing the positive mindset he carried into the game

"Yes, definitely it’s one of my better knocks that I’ve played in Test cricket. In lead-up to this Test, it was all about me working on the areas that I’ve worked on before the England series that we played," Gill stated.

He further explained that his preparation involved revisiting the techniques he had refined during the England series, particularly against spinners. "In that (England) series, I was batting at my best against spinners, and just to be able to go back into that mindset and what my positions were while playing spinners, that is what I was trying to replicate before this match in practice," he added

Gill also credited his improved batting to his clear mindset and his ability to enjoy the challenge on a turning track. "I was honestly trying to have fun. I love batting. If I try to think of it as just going out there and having another opportunity to bat for the maximum amount that I can, that is what I was thinking."

He emphasized the importance of staying relaxed and not putting too much pressure on himself during tough situations. "I was not trying to put too much pressure on myself (by) thinking I have to score these many runs. I was trying to have fun in the middle and enjoy that moment, even if it was difficult."

"Because you don’t get to play that many Test matches. I just feel when I’m batting there, if I would put too much pressure on myself, then I’m losing out on the fun of the art of batting," he concluded.