India batter Shubman Gill made a candid admission about struggling to maintain focus after reaching the 25-30 run mark in red-ball cricket recently. Playing for Punjab in their Ranji Trophy Round 6 match, Gill scored an impressive 102 runs off 171 balls, with 14 fours and three sixes. Despite his valiant effort, Punjab lost the match by an innings and 207 runs.

The 25-year-old faced a challenging red-ball tour in Australia, managing only 93 runs across six innings at an average of 18.60. He missed the opening match in Perth due to injury and was dropped for the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

Reflecting on his performance, Gill acknowledged red-ball batting as an area of concern, especially in matches where he tends to score well in the 25-30 range but struggles to convert it into big scores. "I think sometimes I put too much pressure on myself to score big runs after getting to 25-30. That's not how I have traditionally played," he shared.

Gill admitted that he tends to get into a mindset where he forces himself to score a big knock and loses focus in the process. "Sometimes, I lose that zone because I pressurize myself, thinking I must get a big score once I am set. That takes away my focus, and I need to maintain that concentration to stay in the game," he explained. He believes staying constantly involved in the game brings out the best in him as a player.

In the second innings of the match, after a failure in the first, Gill showed patience on a challenging track where other Punjab batters struggled. He scored a well-made century at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, and emphasized the importance of staying in form and maintaining the right mindset when in a good zone.

Gill described his knock as "satisfying," especially after being dismissed off an inside edge in the first innings. "In the first innings, I scored around 40 runs off 130 balls. The bowlers were challenging, and the wicket had some help, so I was satisfied with the way I played. After lunch, I focused on playing more shots as wickets fell from the other end, and I wanted to contribute runs," he said.

‘If there is 15-20 days gap, it’s very helpful to play the match'

He emphasized that no amount of practice can replicate the experience of playing in a competitive match at this level. He further explained that whenever there is a 15-20-day gap between matches, he looks forward to the opportunity to play a competitive game.

"I believe it's important to consider the gap between matches and the next series you're preparing for. If there is a 15-20 day break, it's very beneficial to play a match because no matter how much you practice, the match environment feels different. When you're playing in a real match, there are aspects of your game that are challenged in ways practice can't replicate. So, it's extremely helpful," he said.

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