“Yeah, I mean, Dharamsala [the venue for the first qualifier] is kind of a difficult venue to get there and travel,” Gill said after beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Qualifier 2. “Yes, physically they might have an advantage, but I think finals are all about mental [strength], so the team that is mentally up there for the challenge is the one that’s going to win.”

“Honestly, I don’t really get [the issue of] burden of expectations [of playing another final in Ahmedabad],” Gill said. “You know, there are advantages. That’s how I see it. There’s familiarity when we play there. We know the wicket and the ground. So we know what kind of cricket we need to play there to be able to win. So in that context, I see it as an advantage because there’s a little bit of familiarity.”

Gill himself has been prolific in Ahmedabad, where he has scored almost 25% of his T20 runs at an average of 54.

After his non-selection for the T20 World Cup earlier this year, Gill has come out with greater attacking intent, especially in the powerplay this IPL. He has been going at 9.55 runs an over in the first six overs without compromising on the high volume of runs, which GT prioritise at the top.

“I’d be happy to play if I get picked for the [India] T20 team, but honestly I want to keep working on my game, doesn’t matter what format it is,” he said. “I want to keep getting better as a T20 batsman, as an ODI batsman, as a Test batsman. Cricket is such a game, you can never really get perfect [at it], but obviously you can strive for it and that’s what I try to do.”

“It varies. There’s probably a metre back or forth. So, I mean, there’s a reason why Test-match length works because it is the hardest ball to hit as a batsman with the new ball.”

“But I think the way we executed our bouncers, it was quite exceptional,” Gill said. “In every over, we used our bouncers very well and the accuracy of bouncers that we bowled, I have not seen in a T20 game – the number of bouncers we used and the success that we got in the bouncers was tremendous.”

The one thing that has stood out this season for GT is the background work: the planning, done in accordance with the strengths and weaknesses of the personnel in mind, and the execution, which has been on point for the most part. Even if they have never looked like a team that would score 240-250 runs – 229 for 4, twice, has been their best – like some other teams have tried to, they have appeared the most likely to defend smaller totals and set up smaller chases.

“It’s a show of incredible consistency, but also stability – both on and off the field. Ashish Nehra has done a wonderful job there with a young captain and they have grown together,” Moody said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “Everyone seems to be very clear on their roles and there’s other people behind the scenes like Vikram Solanki. He helps navigate all gaps that may be there around the management side of things and they’re a wonderful team – both on and off the field.

“The team is greater than the individual. That’s their philosophy obviously – I’m assuming they think the collective is greater than any individual.”