Shubman Gill hailed India’s “near-perfect game” after they demolished West Indies by an innings and 140 runs inside three days in the opening Test in Ahmedabad. With this emphatic victory, India began their home season in commanding fashion and strengthened their standing in the World Test Championship race.
“Three centurions in the game and I think we fielded really well in both the innings, so honestly don’t really have any complaints,” Gill told the host broadcaster. “I’ve lost six tosses in a row, but as long as we keep winning the matches, it doesn’t matter for us. I’m very happy with the win.”
Bowlers Set the Tone, Batters Seal the Advantage
India took control early, dismissing West Indies for just 162 on Day 1. Mohammed Siraj led the attack with 4 for 40, setting the platform for a strong batting performance. The hosts piled up 448 for 5 before declaring, with KL Rahul (100), Dhruv Jurel (125), and Ravindra Jadeja (104*) scoring brilliant centuries to secure a massive lead of 286 runs.
It took less than two sessions on the third day to complete the job as Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar shared seven wickets between them to seal the win.
“When you’ve got quality spinners like them, it’s difficult to be able to rotate,” Gill said. “But it’s good to have an option of too many rather than not having any. But that’s the challenge and that’s the fun of playing in India. There would always be someone who would be out there ready to get the job done.”
Bright Start to Gill’s Captaincy Stint
Gill’s leadership journey has begun strongly. After India battled to a 2-2 draw in the challenging Test series in England, they kicked off their home campaign with a statement performance.
“It’s hard to pin down to one or two things that I learned, but I think over a period of two years, how we bonded as a team and how we got ourselves out from tough situations and difficult situations,” Gill said. “That was really pleasing for me to see. We are still a learning side and I think as long as we keep learning from our experiences that we have, I think we’re going to be on the positive side of the match.”
Jadeja’s All-Round Brilliance Leads the Way
Ravindra Jadeja, who earned the Player of the Match award for his unbeaten 104 and four wickets, highlighted how his preparation during the off-season at the BCCI Centre of Excellence paid dividends.
“I’ve been batting at No. 9, No. 8 a few years ago, but now I’ve got my number… No. 6,” Jadeja said. “So I have time to prepare myself and I can pace my innings. I don’t need to hurry. Don’t need to rush [and play] unnecessary shots. I just, I can go out there and take my time and just pace my innings.”
Red Soil Advantage in Ahmedabad
The all-rounder also spoke about the benefits of playing on the red-soil surface at the Narendra Modi Stadium, which offered grip and bounce for spinners and support for batters.
“Playing on a red soil [pitch], it’s fun because as a spinner, you get more turn and bounce,” he said. “As a spinner, you always want that. I was enjoying and as I got to know that we are playing on a red soil wicket, I thought, okay, for batting as well and for bowling as well. If the wicket is flat, you can score runs. If the ball is turning, then you can enjoy bowling on the red soil [pitch].”
What Lies Ahead
With this emphatic result, India moved to third in the World Test Championship standings. They will aim to continue their momentum when they face West Indies in the second Test in Delhi, starting October 10.
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