‘We can take 20 wickets anywhere’: Shubman Gill after India’s biggest ever Test win
Shubman Gill and Manav Suthar (PTI Photo) NEW DELHI: India captain Shubman Gill described his side’s comprehensive victory over Afghanistan as a near-perfect performance and said the team “ticked all the boxes” in a dominant display in the one-off Test.After guiding India to 564 for 8 declared and then watching his bowlers dismiss Afghanistan twice, Gill was delighted with the contributions from all departments.Gill himself scored a brilliant century while KL Rahul also scored a ton as India piled up a mammoth 564/8 as they declared. The hosts then rode on an impressive spin performance, led by debutant Manav Suthar, to crush Afghanistan by an innings and 300 runs – India’s biggest win in Test history.“I think a complete win from us, we ticked all the boxes. I’m very happy with that,” Gill said during the post-match presentation.The win also offered a glimpse into India’s future. With several senior players missing and the younger group taking on more responsibility, Gill acknowledged that batting units often face more scrutiny during the transition period.But the skipper believes the plan is simple: post big first-innings totals and trust a bowling attack that can take 20 wickets under any conditions.“I’d say it’s pretty simple. When you’re batting first innings, try to put 350 on the board every time you come to bat, no matter where we’re playing or what the conditions are,” Gill mentioned.The confidence comes from the quality of India’s bowling resources.“I think there is enough confidence in our bowling group that we can take 20 wickets anywhere.
India wins the biggest innings
- Inns & 300 runs vs AFG, Mullanpur, 2026*
- Inns & 272 runs vs WI, Rajkot, 2018
- Inns & 262 runs vs AFG, Bengaluru, 2018
- Inns & 239 runs vs BAN, Mirpur, 2007
- Inns & 239 runs vs SL, Nagpur, 2017
- The only bigger innings wins on Indian soil are WI vs IND at Eden Gardens in 1958 (Inns & 336 runs).
- The only other biggest innings wins by an Asian team are PAK vs NZ in Lahore in 2002 (Innings and 324 runs).
One of the major talking points during the match was India’s decision to force follow-on after bowling Afghanistan out for 152. Despite a huge lead, the decision was not an easy one given the extreme heat and workload of the players.Gill revealed that the team management discussed several scenarios before deciding on their approach.“It was very hot. We decided if we got them before lunch or just after the first drink, we’d see if the bowlers were fresh, we’d give them a follow-on. If not, we’d bat a few practice sessions and maybe give them the ball again at the end of the day,” Gill said.The bowlers quickly convinced the skipper that they were ready for another stint. Mohammed Siraj struck an early blow after the follow-on was enforced, while Prasidh Krishna’s key breakthroughs ensured Afghanistan never gained any momentum.“But we got quick wickets, we came back. And also the way our fast bowlers bowled, Siraj got us the crucial wicket when we gave them the follow-on wicket and Prasidh got three important wickets,” the skipper said.The Indian spinners also played a decisive role in the victory. Debutant Manav Suthar took six wickets in the first innings, Washington Sundar took four wickets in the second innings and Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with three as Afghanistan struggled against India’s spin attack.Gill said there was never any doubt about the quality of the trio.“I think the quality that Manav, Washi and Kuldeep have, all three of them, was never in doubt.According to the Indian captain, the next step for spinners is to gain experience, learn to mix long spells and understand how to create pressure in different conditions.“It’s all about getting experience and getting a number of overs and seeing on wickets like these how to set the batsman up, keep changing pace, test the batsman in different areas.”Gill also admitted that India’s young batting group is still a work in progress and the team is focusing on developing a clear identity and attitude in different conditions.“Whenever there’s a transition, we feel the batting group is under more pressure and we’re trying to get experience. We’re trying to build here to see what kind of game can work for us as a batting group and in different conditions and different situations.”For Gill, the long-term goal is to create a batting unit capable of consistently dominating matches through significant scores in the first innings.“How can we regularly post 350-400 totals on the board (in the future).”