‘Whenever I hit a six, you told me…’: Shubman Gill reveals mid-pitch conversations with Hardik Pandya

Shubman Gill recorded the highest Twenty20 score for an Indian batsman in a 168-run victory over New Zealand on Wednesday to help India win the series 2-1.
Gill scored 126 not out off 63 balls, including 12 fours and seven sixes, as India put up 234/4 (20 overs). In reply, New Zealand collapsed to 66 in 12.1 overs, its third-lowest T20 total.
Gill topped Virat Kohli’s 122 not out against Afghanan last year.
After the match, in an interaction on BCCI TV, Gill analyzed his improved shot-making ability and newly-acquired boundary-clearing skill and said, “A lot of the credit goes to my father. Ninety percent credit goes to him — the way he made me practice did help me a lot.”
“In the matches leading up to this game in Ahmedabad, I didn’t do well – did not match up to my expectations. So I was eager to perform.”
Revealing a morale-boosting conversation before the match with skipper Pandya, Gill said, “When you told me to play my natural game it really helped because I did not have to do anything extra. These small things help a long way.”

The hosts garnered 103 runs in the final seven overs thanks to Gill’s onslaught. In doing so, he added 103 runs off only 40 balls with Hardik Pandya (30) for the fourth wicket as India notched its fifth-highest T20 total.
“To be able to play how I play, I must be mentally clear. Whenever I hit a six, you told me to hold your shape the next ball. I was in that zone, but you told me to hold back and take on the other bowlers.”
India’s pacers were on the money from the word go, using the dew to full effect. Pandya struck twice in two overs to remove Finn Allen (3) and Glenn Phillips (2). He finished with 4/16 from four overs.
Speaking about his bowling, Pandya said that he wanted to go full throttle. “I wanted to bowl as quickly as possible. For me, four wickets are part and parcel, but bowling at 145 kph gave me a lot of happiness,” he said.