Shubman Gill has been showcasing that he has been in form of his life since making his Test debut in the ongoing Australia-India Test series Down Under. And the 21-year-old batsman saved his best for the last as he put pace to India's 328-run chase on the final day of the fourth Test with a brisk half centuy in 89 balls.
Shubman took 90 deliveries to score his second Test fifty in his second Test match. On his way to the fifty, Shubman also became the second-youngest visiting player to score a half-century in the fourth innings in Australia at the age of 21 years and 129 days. Former Pakistan batsman Ijaz Ahmed did the same at the age 21 years and 114 days.
At the time of writing this report, Shubman was batting at 74 runs off 136 balls while Cheteshwar Pujara (19 off 115) accompanied him on the pitch in an 89-run unbeaten stand in the post-lunch session.
Earlier in the morning session, Pujara survived a barrage of short deliveries from Pat Cummins-led Australia attack as India went to lunch at 83 for one on the fifth and final day of the fourth and final Test.
India, who are looking to draw the Test to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 1-1 scoreline in the series, need to see off another 62 overs in the remaining two sessions. They have nine wickets in hand.
The visitors, who resumed at four without loss, lost Rohit Sharma early for seven. The opener edged one behind to Tim Paine off the bowling of Pat Cummins.
The score was 18 at the time of dismissal in 8.2 overs. However, both Gill and Pujara survived the next 29.4 overs to see off the Aussie bowlers without any further damage in the first session.
While Gill looked reasonably comfortable against the pace attack and played his shots, including a six over third man in the last over before lunch, Pujara was all at sea taking blows but managing to survive. He also underwent a concussion test after being hit on the head by Cummins.
