Gill puts himself through the grind ahead of SA Tests

Batting for India is one thing, batting as the captain is quite another.

- Somshuvra Laha

It is this drive that has seen Gill make five hundreds since he was appointed captain ahead of the England series, averaging a staggering 78.83 in the last five months. The last of those five hundreds came against West Indies at home but the sense of anticipation has only started to rise now that India prepare for South Africa and New Zealand without Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the first time since 2011. The buck shouldn't stop entirely with Gill, at least in the first year of his captaincy, but it was evident that he wouldn't stop trying.

Probably it was that bent of mind that took Gill to the net where India bowling coach Morne Morkel was unsurprisingly keeping the ball just outside the off stump.