India’s Shubman Gill returns to the Gabba this week with a sense of nostalgia, as he prepares for the third Test of the ongoing series against Australia. The iconic venue in Brisbane holds special memories for the 23-year-old opener, who became a national hero during India’s historic victory in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Nearly four years ago, in the deciding fourth Test, Gill was thrust into the limelight. The young opener, playing only his third Test match, scored a courageous 91 runs as part of India’s chase of a daunting 328-run target, eventually sealing the series 2-1. Despite India’s injury woes and depleted squad, which saw them fielding net bowlers, Gill’s defiant knock was crucial to the win. While Rishabh Pant was named Player-of-the-Match for his match-winning 89*, it was Gill’s contribution that earned him widespread praise, especially in India, for his resilience and maturity under pressure.
“Definitely very nostalgic when I came here,” Gill reflected on his return to the Gabba. “Walking through the stadium again after that 2021 win felt very nostalgic. It feels good to be back, and I feel pretty confident playing here.”
A lot has changed since that remarkable win. India was captained by Ajinkya Rahane in the 2021 series after regular skipper Virat Kohli returned home following the birth of his daughter. Since then, key players like Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have moved on, but the core leadership group of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma remains.
Rohit, who missed India’s victory in Perth due to family commitments, returned to lead the team in Adelaide. However, his form with the bat has raised concerns, as he contributed only nine runs in India’s heavy loss in the pink-ball Test. Despite this, Gill remains optimistic about his captain’s leadership and the team’s prospects.
“Rohit is asking for more from the batters collectively, especially after we were dismissed twice for less than 200 runs in Adelaide,” Gill shared. “We are looking to post a big total first up here in Brisbane.”
With the series evenly poised at 1-1, India will need to counter the fierce Australian pace attack, which remains a challenge on the bouncy Gabba pitch. However, Gill’s confidence is undeterred, as he and his teammates aim to capitalize on their familiarity with the red ball in this traditional format.
“We are a bit more used to playing with the red ball in the day,” Gill said, underlining India’s preparedness for the third Test. With the series still on a knife-edge, all eyes will be on Gill and the Indian batting lineup to set a strong foundation and challenge Australia for a series lead.
