Vikram Rathour, the batting coach of Team India, expressed his support for Shubman Gill despite his struggles in Test matches. Rathour emphasized that it would be unfair to judge Gill based on a single poor performance, considering to his low score in the first Test against West Indies in Dominica. He further described Gill as the future of India’s batting.
In that same match, India secured a resounding victory with an innings and 141-run margin, thanks to centuries from debutant opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Rohit Sharma. Gill, batting at No. 3, was dismissed for just 6 runs off 11 balls. Before this, Gill had also faced disappointment in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, scoring 13 and 18 against Australia at The Oval. During a press conference on July 16, Rathour voiced his belief in Gill’s potential and predicted a bright future for him in Test cricket.
In a recent press conference on July 16, Rathour expressed his support for Gill and expressed optimism about his future in Test cricket. Rathour emphasized that Gill should not be judged based on a single innings and highlighted his potential and versatility as a batsman.
He also believed that Gill’s ability to take his time while playing and his aggressive stroke-playing skills make him an advantageous choice for the No. 3 position.Â
Rathour acknowledged that Gill has already proven himself in other formats and mentioned that sometimes it takes time for a player to adapt to a particular format. However, he had full confidence in Gill’s potential and stated that he is the future of Indian batting across all three formats. Rathour praised Gill’s work ethic, temperament, and talent, noting that he is dedicated to improving his skills. He expressed no doubt that Gill will have a long and successful career representing the Indian team in all formats of the game.
Gill’s performance in the Test matches has been a bit disappointing. Over the course of 17 matches, he has managed to score 927 runs, with an average of 31.96.
Rathour on Gill’s Batting PositionÂ
In preparation for the Dominica Test, Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Indian cricket team, disclosed that Shubman Gill had personally requested to be assigned the No. 3 batting position. Reflecting on this development, Rathour expressed that the team’s management supported Gill’s perspective.
Rathour elaborated that since there were three openers in the team, one of them had to take up the No. 3 position. However, Rathour highlighted the positive aspect that it was Gill himself who expressed his desire to bat at that spot.
Gill’s reasoning was based on his experience playing at No. 3 or 4 in both first-class cricket and for the Indian team. Rathour conveyed that the team was content with Gill’s decision, and subsequent discussions with Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma concluded that it would be more suitable for Gill to bat at No. 3 in longer formats of the game.
Keeping in mind Shubhman Gill’s outstanding record in Test cricket, it is crucial that he is in the playing XI despite his poor form he would still be able to contribute to the Indian team.
Gill stands a chance to showcase his skills during the upcoming second Test match between India and West Indies, which will be held in Port of Spain, Trinidad, from July 20 to 24.
