Abhinav Mukund, the former Indian Opener has expressed his concerns regarding Shubman Gill’s struggle to control his tempo at the number three position in test cricket.
Shubman Gill who was in remarkable form earlier this year has been struggling to put runs on the board in red-ball cricket. His failure to perform in the final of the WTC has yet again disappointed the cricket fans. Before the West Indies series, he had expressed his keen desire to bat at the number three position for India.
Shubman Gill’s first game at number three didn’t go well as he was out for six in India’s only innings during the first Test against the West Indies, which India won by an innings and 141 runs.
Despite this failure, batting coach Vikram Rathour urged critics not to judge Gill based on one failure. Rathour said that Gill possesses the technique and temperament to play time if required and can also play an attacking game when needed.
“It’s a massive challenge, not only the position. I think Shubman Gill played at No. 3 for his first-class side. But coming off a white-ball season, as a batter, you are trying to control your bat speed. In a T20 format or ODI format, you are going hard at the ball,” Abhinav Mukund said on JioCinema on Day 1 of the WI vs IND Test.
In the second Test, Gill walked onto the pitch with the hope of making some runs to fill his bucket. Unfortunately, his time at the crease was short-lived. He fell for a paltry score of 10, nicking behind Kemar Roach’s delivery. Wicket-keeper Joshua Da Silva made no mistake in taking the catch, marking another disappointing outing for Gill. He then had a word with his skipper and batting partner Rohit before deciding to walk off without chancing a review. This marked his second consecutive low score in the series, raising questions about his form and technique and also his selection for the number three position.
“The converse is easier to do. To control the bat speed. I would think Shubman Gill is going after things that he doesn’t want to do. That will be the challenge. Shubman Gill is sort of struggling a little bit in controlling his tempo. Unfortunately, he is going forward a bit too much for my liking,” Mukund added.
