Kanpur Test: Shubman Gill on his dismissal – ‘Didn’t expect the ball to start reversing so early’

India opener Shubman Gill said that he could not read the ball that led to his dismissal as he did not expect the bowlers to generate reverse swing so early in the day during the first Test against New Zealand in Kanpur. Gill scored 52 off 93 balls but was one of three batsmen to fall to fast bowler Kyle Jamieson in the second session of the first day.

“It is all about reading the conditions, especially after coming to bat after lunch, the ball started to reverse. You have to read the conditions, I was not able to read the ball which dismissed me because I was not expecting the ball to start reversing this early,” said Gill in a press conference after the day’s play.

Gill also praised Jamieson for how he bowled on Thursday. Jamieson gave New Zealand an early breakthrough by dismissing Gill’s opening partner Mayank Agarwal in the eighth over. The wicket of Gill ended a 61-run stand between him and Cheteshwar Pujara.

“I think Jamieson bowled really well today, especially the first spell he bowled with the new ball. He bowled in pretty good areas to me and Mayank Agarwal. When I came to bat after lunch, that over was top-notch, the whole spell he bowled, he looked top-notch,” said Gill

“I have opened for my state team and India A. I have batted in the middle-order as well. There is a little bit of tweaking when you play as an opener or you play as a middle-order batter. It is more on the mental side of the things rather than the technique.”

Shreyas Iyer then scored a half century on debut and put up an unbeaten 113-run stand for the fifth wicket with Ravindra Jadeja, who also reached his 17th Test half century. The partnership ended up putting India in a strong position at the end of Day 1 with the hosts finishing on 258/4.

“The way Iyer batted on his Test debut, we lost three wickets in the second session. Jadeja and Iyer have stitched together a good partnership, hopefully, it continues tomorrow,” said Gill.