India Test captain Shubman Gill has switched to the red-ball mode and started sweating it out in the nets for the upcoming red-ball assignment against South Africa at home. On Thursday, Gill spent nearly
an hour and a half at the nets while fine-tuning his technique at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata – the venye of the first Test against South Africa.
Gill, who scored a fifty and an unbeaten century in two home Tests against the West Indies that India swept last month, has been seeking runs in white-ball cricket. In eight innings across ODIs and T20Is in Australia, his only notable score was a 46 at Carrara Oval.
Resuming his role as Test captain, Gill batted with determination, intent on regaining form after a lackluster white-ball series. Before the nets session, head coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak were seen having an extended discussion with him near the High Court end, likely about his approach.
Gill then joined his teammates for slip-fielding drills before starting an intense net session alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. He began by facing spin, playing mostly on the ground and sweeping occasionally against Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
He then moved to the pace nets, where he faced Jasprit Bumrah for a few overs, followed by Nitish Kumar Reddy and several local club bowlers who tested him with seam movement.
A support staff member used a sidearm to deliver high-bounce throwdowns, providing Gill with extra pace and bounce. After more than an hour in the side nets, Gill shifted to the central strip for another 30 minutes of throwdowns under the watchful eye of bowling coach Morne Morkel, who also generated sharp pace and bounce.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, fresh from scores of 67 and 156 for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy, also had a long stint at the central wicket, facing Morkel and throwdowns. The left-hander looked in fluent form, driving and pulling with confidence.
The Proteas are buoyant after securing a hard-fought 1-1 draw in Pakistan last month under challenging conditions.
With PTI Inputs
