Can Shubman Gill revive overseas fortunes?

Without a half-century in last 15 innings outside the subcontinent, the pressure will be on India no. 3 to deliver
BRISBANE: The pressure sits lightly on Shubman Gill's young shoulders. In many ways he is the crown prince of Indian cricket, having already been earmarked for future leadership roles and big batting responsibilities. Returning to the Gabba, in a way, marks a full circle to the first half of his Test career.
It was in Australia, back on the 2020-21 tour, that Gill made his debut along with Mohammed Siraj in Melbourne, scored 45, and then went on to announce his arrival on the big stage with the second-innings 91 here that propelled India's famous win.

At both the Gabba and in the preceding Test, in Sydney, his efforts were overshadowed by Rishabh Pant, but that poise at the crease and serenity in his strokeplay marked him out for bigger red-ball duties.
No wonder he admitted he was "nostalgic" upon returning to the Gabba, but this isn't Gill's time for 'good-old-days' vibes. Having missed the first Test with a finger injury, there's work to be done and some standout knocks to be scored to prove his overseas credentials.
With Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma taking over opening duties, Gill staked his claim to the regular No. 3 spot in July 2023 in the West Indies, but his game was a stark contrast to predecessor Cheteshwar Pujara's stonewalling approach.

Since that move, Gill has rediscovered form-particularly in the home Test series against England at the beginning of the year-and showed there isn't one way to be an effective No. 3. Now, he averages 41.04 in 27 innings at that position, an improvement on both his average as opener (32.37 in 29 innings) and overall average (36.45).
Still, it's his overseas record that needs improvement, irrespective of his batting position. Since that 91 at the Gabba, Gill has just one overseas ton-the 110 against Bangladesh in Chattogram in 2022-and is now without a fifty in 15 innings in overseas Tests played in Australia, England, West Indies and South Africa.
It's in Australia, though, that he still has his best average in any country (45.42 from 4 Tests), and Gill explained on Friday why he thought it was special to play here.
"The intensity at which the games are played here, especially Test matches, is one of the most difficult things. To be able to maintain that intensity over the course of five days is what makes touring Australia so difficult. More than anything it's the mental fitness and the mental intensity that is required in Australia," he said.
Gill looked fluent as long as he lasted in Adelaide but said he was flustered by wickets constantly falling at the other end. "Because of what happened at the other end, I kind of took that on me. One of the challenges is how you can play your game irrespective of what is happening at the other end. There was a period where I faced, maybe, one ball in four overs and then the next ball I missed a straight ball, a fuller ball. These are the challenges," he said.

Gill also became the latest in a long line of Indian players to complain about difficulties sighting the pink ball in Adelaide, and like his teammates is relieved the regular Kookaburra red will be back for the third Test. "As a batting group, we are looking to post a big total first up. That's been the discussion and every batter has his own game plan," Gill said.
Posting big first-innings totals has been a problem for India for a while now. Their last five first-innings score reads 46 all out in 31.2 overs in Bengaluru, 156 in 45.3 overs in Pune, 263 in 59.4 overs in Mumbai (all against NZ), 150 in 49.4 overs in Perth and 180 in 44.1 overs in Adelaide (on this tour). It's a weakness the team is eager to rectify, and runs from Gill will help. "It looks like a good wicket, to be honest," he said. "We'll know once we play on it."