ICC WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

June 20, 2021

Shubman Gill

Hampshire Bowl

India Media Conference

Q. Shubman, although you didn't play the two Test matches in New Zealand, is it a cause of concern that now there are five consecutive innings against New Zealand that India hasn't been able to cross 250? Like what is the problem that's happening, especially against New Zealand?

SHUBMAN GILL: I think the Test that we played in New Zealand, we went there, we didn't have too much time to prepare because there were a lot of T20 -- the focus was more on one-days and T20s when we went there. And yeah, as you said, we haven't been able to cross 250 in the last five tests.

In this Test also I felt we were in a solid position, but unfortunately we lost a couple of early wickets today. But hopefully we'll get some time in the next innings and we'll be able to do that.

Q. How big of a wicket was Conway's? And do you think you have an edge coming into tomorrow because Ross Taylor is a new batsman in the crease and Williamson has also not got settled?

SHUBMAN GILL: Yeah, definitely it was a crucial wicket for us. I feel if we would have been able to bowl a couple of more overs to Ross Taylor, who was a new batsman for us, we might have gotten a couple more wickets. But as you said, when the play will start tomorrow we'll have a slight edge on them because both of them are relatively new on the crease.

Q. Both of New Zealand's wickets that fell today were to catches in the inner circle, as you would call it. With the wicket stopping a little, how big a role do you think Jadeja and Ashwin will play in the next couple of days?

SHUBMAN GILL: Definitely I think in the fourth innings the spinners will play a crucial role, and hopefully in this innings, as well. As the game goes on, hopefully there will be some -- there will be some kind of help for the spinners.

Q. How did you find it facing Kyle Jamieson in particular out there?

SHUBMAN GILL: He was bowling well. I think the first spell that he bowled, he was bowling well in that spell, and he didn't get many wickets in the first spell, but he got his reward today.

I feel our bowlers also bowled really well today. The luck didn't favour our side. Unfortunately there was a couple which didn't go our way, but hopefully tomorrow is a new day and it will bring some luck to our bowlers.

Q. Obviously we know a lot of time has been lost in the game already. Because it's a final, will you be pushing, do you think, for a positive result, or if a draw is the natural result, will that be okay?

SHUBMAN GILL: I think both the teams will obviously try to have a result out of this match, but if the conditions don't go our way, then there isn't much that both teams can do.

Q. First it was Australia has one of the best attacks that you've faced there, then at home you had England, now New Zealand, and then England beckons. So early on in your career to be facing such high-quality pace attacks, how do you feel, and how is the preparation and how do you feel about facing such high-quality attacks so early on in your career?

SHUBMAN GILL: Obviously it feels good. This is what you prepare for your whole life. Having to play someone like Shami, Bumrah in the nets, obviously you get to know what the international cricket is like, and obviously when you play Australia in Australia, you tend to know where you stand as a player. It feels good when early on in your career you face these bowlers.