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India’s young batter Shubman Gill is grappling with a challenging phase in Test cricket, having failed to score a half-century since the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final against Australia. Despite a flourishing white-ball career, his Test performances have been subpar, accumulating only 258 runs in 2023. The overall Test average drops to 31.06 in 19 games, emphasizing the dip in his red-ball form.
Sunil Gavaskar’s insights on Shubman Gill’s Test woes
Sunil Gavaskar, speaking on Star Sports after India’s innings and 32-run defeat against South Africa, pinpointed the contrast between red and white-ball cricket. The 75-year-old attributed Gill’s struggles to his overly aggressive approach, particularly in recent times. Despite dropping to No.3 in the batting order, Gill has been unable to make a significant impact, failing to cross 30 in his last five innings in that position. Gavaskar is hopeful Gill will put in the necessary work and training to revive his Test form in the upcoming matches.
“I think he is playing a bit too aggressively in Test cricket. There is a slight difference when you play Test cricket vs T20I and ODI cricket. The difference is in the ball. The red ball moves a little more than the white ball in the air and off the pitch as well. It bounces a little more too. He should keep that in mind,” Gavaskar said.
“Shubman Gill started off his career so well and we praised his shots. We can only hope that he gets back into his form. Hope he trains harder and does well in the future,” the Mumbai-born cricketer concluded.
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Shubman Gill’s recent Test performances
In India’s opening Test against South Africa at Centurion, Gill managed scores of 2 and 28, contributing to India’s defeat. With the emergence of Yashasvi Jaiswal, the 24-year-old has been pushed down to No.3 without notable success. The talented youngster faces the challenge of regaining his form in the upcoming New Year’s Test against South Africa, starting on January 3. Gill’s performance will be crucial for India as they seek to reverse their fortunes after the setback in the first Test.
