"That will be good enough for us to prepare" - Shubman Gill on India's WTC final preparations

Indian opener Shubman Gill feels the team has enough time to prepare for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia despite the IPL 2023 season going deep into the month of May.

The IPl ends on May 28 while the WTC final is to be played from June 7. This has worried a number of Indian fans as they feel the team won't have enough time to acclimatize to the conditions in England at The Oval.

However, speaking exclusively to TOI, Shubman Gill explained how it is important for him to work on the mental side of things when it comes to adjusting to formats. He said:

"I think we will get about 10 days before we play the (WTC) final. That will be good enough for us to prepare for that important match. For me, it is more mental rather than technical or physical."

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Shubman Gill on focusing on timing rather than power

Shubman Gill has enjoyed a golden run in the past few months across formats and has been a regular for India too. He has had a marked improvement in the T20 department, smashing a T20I hundred and also having done well for the Gujarat Titans (GT).

Gill spoke about how he focused on timing the ball even when he wanted to clear the boundary. He stated:

"I think it is important to realize what is your game and realize that I can hit the ball further with timing rather than power. This is something that every batter should be able to realize (about their game). That is why I focus on more timing than power."

Gill also spoke about how he adjusts his game to play different shots when needed and added:

"I think it is about knowing what moment to play the right shots. Sometimes, I do play the odd one like reverse sweeping or switch hitting but that is only when I think the bowler is going to bowl to me in a certain area. That’s when I know for sure I can’t hit the ball down the ground."

With injuries to key batters like Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer, India's hopes in the WTC final will lie on Shubman Gill.