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Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has lauded Shubman Gill for playing a responsible knock in the fourth T20I against Australia. He opined that India might have been restricted to a total around 130 had the opener not stayed in the middle till the 15th over.Gill scored 46 runs off 39 balls as India set Australia a 168-run target at the Carrara Oval in Gold Coast on Thursday, November 6. The visitors then bowled the Aussies out for 119 to register a comprehensive 48-run win.During an interaction on the Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues,' Parthiv praised Gill for playing a perfectly-paced knock based on the conditions."If this match had been played at the Wankhede Stadium, or in Ahmedabad, or at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, then you would have focused on the strike rate, that he scored only 46 runs in nearly 40 balls," the former India wicketkeeper-batter said."However, the pitch on which they were playing, you needed a batter like that, who bats till the 14th or 15th over, or else the 167-run score would have been around 130. The winning margin was 48 runs. It shows how difficult it was, and it's not like it was a 220-run match. The margin was 48 runs in a 160-run match, and the other team got all out in that. That means the pitch wasn't that easy," he added.Shubman Gill was eventually bowled by Nathan Ellis on the first ball of the 15th over at the score of 121. Axar Patel's cameo (21* off 11) then ensured that the Men in Blue posted a 160-plus total."It's not like he didn't play shots" - Parthiv Patel on Shubman Gill switching gears in AUS vs IND 2025 4th T20IShubman Gill struck four fours and a six during his 46-run knock. [P/C: Getty]In the same interaction, Parthiv Patel noted that Shubman Gill was aggressive at the start of his innings before adopting a more conservative approach."Shubman Gill managed himself extremely well based on the pitch. He understood the kind of pitch it was and what kind of batting would be required. It's not like he didn't play shots. He played shots at the start," he said.The Gujarat Titans (GT) assistant coach criticized the fans who are trolling Gill, highlighting that the franchise's captain respected the conditions."However, as soon as the first six overs had passed, he made his innings long. So, whoever is sitting and trolling, if they understand the conditions a little, today's (Thursday's) innings showed how the conditions need to be respected," Parthiv observed.Shubman Gill scored 23 runs, including the four fours he hit in his innings, off the first 15 balls he faced. He concentrated on singles and doubles thereafter, with his only six coming off the 36th ball of his innings.
