Knew it was my day when I hit Madhwal for three sixes: Shubman Gill

At 98/1 after 11 overs, having amassed 34 off the preceding 3 overs, Gujarat Titans had momentum on their side to go big, particularly with Shubman Gill unbeaten on 59, but few, if any, saw the onslaught that followed coming.

Rohit Sharma brought his best pacer of the season, Akash Madhwal, into the attack, and much to everyone’s shock, Shubman Gill absolutely went berserk, taking 21 off the rookie speedster. 

Gill went SIX, SIX, SIX in the space of five balls to rock Mumbai and Madhwal, and the pick of the three shots proved to be a remarkably authoritative pull on the second ball, which was timed to perfection. In the span of an over, Gill went from 59 (37) to 79 (42).

The over turned out to be a game-changer for GT as they went on to post 233, but, post match, Gill asserted that the over was the turning point for him too. The three sixes, he said, made it clear to him that it was ‘his day’. The 23-year-old eventually went on to post 129, the highest individual score ever in IPL history in the playoffs.

“For me, it is playing ball to ball, over to over. The over where I hit three sixes gave me the momentum to go big. That's when I realised it could be my day,” Gill, named Player of the Match for his efforts, said.

“It was a good wicket to bat on and I wanted to maximise scoring.”

This IPL, Gill has taken his T20 batting to a whole new level, and the biggest area of improvement has been six-hitting. In 16 innings last year, the right-hander hit 11 sixes but this time around, he’s tripled the tally (33). In fact, Gill this season has hit more sixes than he did across the previous three IPL seasons combined (32).

But when asked if he’d consciously taken a decision to start hitting more sixes, Gill said ‘no’ and revealed that the show he’s been putting on is a reflection of the self-belief that currently exists within him.

“Not a conscious decision (to hit more sixes), you keep inventing as a batter but for me the belief is more important. 

“I am coming off a good international season as well. Had a good season last time as well. When I start well, I feel confident I can score well. From the last WI tour, I think I have shifted a gear, I got injured before the last IPL but I have been working on my game. 

I have worked on a few areas and made technical changes ahead of the NZ series after the T20I World Cup.”

Long dubbed the ‘next big thing’ in Indian cricket, expectations from the bat of Gill are at an all time high. But according to him, all the outside noise gets automatically shut the moment he steps on the field.

“Expectations are something that follow you outside the ropes, but once you step on the field it is all about trying how to contribute for the team,” Gill said.

Does he believe this is his best ever knock in this competition?

“I think this was probably my best innings so far in the IPL.”