Shubman Gill's secret calls to Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Smith changed the fortunes of his Test career

Shubman Gill's technique improved significantly, influenced by advice from Sachin Tendulkar and Steve Smith.

Shubman Gill has established himself as a regular of the Indian team in all formats of the game. While ODIs remain the strongest pursuit of the cricketer, the performance of the batter in the latest England tour solidified his position as the premier batter in the longest format of the game.

Indian team captain Shubman Gill attends a press conference at the Narendra Modi Stadium. (AFP)

The journey, however, was not easy for the current Indian Test skipper in the format. Critics and experts have often expressed doubts over his technique and temperament for the longest format of the game. However, a bit of chat with the best in the business and a brilliant show in a challenging overseas tour have shut down his critics.

In a recent interaction with the JioHotStar, Gill has revealed the filter he put on a career’s worth of batting noise. “There was pressure of not doing well outside India. But I was feeling very confident in terms of my practice, mentally, and what positions I was getting into. I spoke to Sachin Sir and also took the phone number of Steve Smith from Matthew Wade. Both said the same thing: defend straight and score square,” revealed the batter.

The mantra that clicked for Gill

Shubman Gill’s admission lands like a neat coaching distillate. Tendulkar and Smith are two very different batters when it comes to batting styles, the era of playing and methods, but Gill’s statement reveals a basic that they both followed. Both insisted on Gill keeping his bat face honest, trying to play in the ‘V’ and cash out anything on square. This is a perfect reflection of playing percentage cricket in challenging conditions and being successful.

How it helped Gill in England

Before the tips and the necessary transformation, Gill’s front-foot weight transfer occasionally lagged, making him a sitting duck for the deliveries that nipped back in from the good length. In England, that is exactly the tax a batter pays early, becoming a prime customer for LBW, bowled, or falling while chasing a delivery away from the body.

Gill remedied his technique by committing to the stride, staying side-on, and trusting a straight defence. He allowed his hands to go only when the length genuinely invited the shots square of the wicket. The result was there for everyone to see: 754 runs in five Test matches at an average of 75.40, with four Hundreds in his maiden series as Captain.