Shubman Gill, India’s rising batting star, continued his meticulous preparations for the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur by honing his technique against spin bowling. During India’s practice session at Green Park, Gill engaged in intense cover drive drills with Rishabh Pant, who took on the role of a spinner.
“I’m going to hit a lot of drives against Jaddu (Jadeja) bhai,” Gill declared in a video shared by the BCCI.
Pant’s brief stint with the ball drew a playful reaction from KL Rahul, who reminded the wicketkeeper-batter of his bowling exploits in the Delhi Premier League. Pant managed to outwit Gill once, prompting the latter to exclaim, “What a way to beat the batter!”
“You had a great practice session, Rishabh,” Gill remarked in the video.
The practice session also featured the presence of skipper Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, the spin trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, and Kuldeep Yadav, and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah.
Team India arrived in Kanpur on Tuesday, eager to build on their impressive victory in the first Test in Chennai. Under the guidance of new head coach Gautam Gambhir, India cruised to a dominant 280-run win, with Gill playing a pivotal role.
In the second innings, Gill remained unbeaten on 119, forging a crucial 167-run partnership with Pant to keep Bangladesh at bay. Ravichandran Ashwin was named ‘Player of the Match’ for his all-round performance, scoring a vital 113 in the first innings and claiming a six-wicket haul in the second.
Ashwin’s six-wicket haul marked his 37th five-wicket haul in Test cricket, equaling the legendary Shane Warne for the second-most five-wicket hauls in Test history. Only Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, with 67 five-wicket hauls, stands ahead of Ashwin.
