Indian ODI vice-captain Shubman Gill, like several other Test stars returned to the Ranji Trophy fold. Gill returned to Punjab while leading the side. Gill didn't have the most auspicious of comebacks as he scored just four on return to the domestic red-ball competition. Even though Punjab didn't win against Karnataka, Gill was able to strike form in time before he begins a long white-ball season with the England ODI by smashing a century in the second innings.
Karnataka rode on Ravichandran Smaran's double century to post a massive score of 475 runs, which was enough for them to out-bat Punjab twice by batting only once. The shock 55 all-out in the first innings cost Punjab while Gill reflected on his red-ball returns in recent times which saw him score 93 runs in five innings against Australia and 144 against New Zealand in four innings.
Gill admitted that he has a concentration problem and that he puts too much pressure on himself to be able to convert those 20s and 30s after getting good starts, which he has been able to.
"Sometimes, I think with the red ball, in the matches that I play, I tend to get a very good 25-30 and, in those moments, I sometimes tend to put too much pressure on myself to be able to convert those," Gill said in Bengaluru after the Ranji Trophy match in an honest admission.
"That is not the way that I have grown up playing my game. "There is a certain zone that I am in, certain intent that I am in and sometimes I think I lose that because I put too much pressure on myself that I have to get a big run now that I am set. I think in those crucial moments, I sometimes lose my focus and concentration," Gill added.
After Gill, the second-highest score from a batter was 27 from Mayank Markande for Punjab. It was an abject performance from the rest of the batters for Punjab, however, Gill got some runs and was glad how he was able get into his innings and hopefully, it will help him in the long run.
"I think this innings was very satisfying for me, the way I played. The first, I think, in 130 balls, I scored 40-odd runs, and they were bowling well and there was some help in the wicket as well. So, keeping that in mind, I think I was very satisfied with the way that I was playing," Gill added.
Gill might play the next round of matches as well as the likes of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul are also expected to. Punjab are in the sixth spot in Group C while Karnataka climbed to second place. Punjab will take on Bengal in their next encounter.