In preparation for the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur, Shubman Gill has been focused on sharpening his technique, especially against spin bowling.
During a practice session, Gill was seen working on his cover drives with Rishabh Pant, who playfully stepped in to bowl some spin deliveries. In a light-hearted exchange, Gill remarked, “Pakdna Jaddu bhai bhar bhar ke drive maar raha hoon,” joking that he was practicing plenty of cover drives, referring to teammate Ravindra Jadeja.
KL Rahul also joined in the fun by teasing Pant, reminding him of his previous stint as a bowler in the Delhi Premier League. Pant did manage to beat Gill on one delivery, and his humorous reaction, “Kya beat kara hai yaar,” captured the playful mood of the practice.
The Indian squad, including captain Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and key bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah, were all part of the training session. The team arrived in Kanpur after a dominant 280-run victory in the first Test, which took place in Chennai under the new leadership of head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Gill had played a crucial role in the first Test, remaining unbeaten with a 119-run knock and forming a solid 167-run partnership with Rishabh Pant that helped India fend off Bangladesh. Ravichandran Ashwin’s all-around performance earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award, highlighted by his brilliant 113-run innings and a six-wicket haul in the second innings. Ashwin’s effort tied him with Shane Warne for the second-most five-wicket hauls in Test cricket, with 37 to his name, only behind Muttiah Muralitharan’s 67.
