3 reasons why Shubman Gill should be India's opener in the 2023 World Cup
Shubman Gill's ODI form comes as good news for India and will play a vital role in the upcoming 2023 World Cup if he continues in the same vein. The Punjab batter notched up his maiden hundred in the recently concluded tour against Zimbabwe.
The first two matches saw him prop up scores of 82* and 33, followed by a scintillating ton that proved to be rather elusive since his ODI debut in 2019 against New Zealand in Hamilton.
Over the years, Gill has evolved into a reliable and stable top-order batter capable of toggling seamlessly between opening the batting and coming in at No.3. This leads to the argument that he could be one of India's openers or even be favored to take the slot alongside Rohit Sharma in the upcoming ODI World Cup.
Here are our thoughts on why he should open for India at the 2023 World Cup.
#1 Shubman Gill has the technique
Shubman Gill's sublime footwork and perfect hand-eye co-ordination makes him the perfect opening partner for Rohit Sharma. With the latter generally playing a more attacking brand of cricket, the likes of Gill can adjust to the scenario and pace his innings accordingly.
With the batter also known to play swing and bounce well, his presence at the top also helps the think-tank focus on structuring a stable middle order.
#2 KL Rahul can boost the middle order
KL Rahul might be India's favored opener in the T20 format, but his record for India as a middle-order batter makes the side a lot stronger and more stable. The experience he has also trumps the competition that he faces from Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav – frontrunners to find a berth in the playing XI.
Rahul's presence in the middle order means that he will be tasked with working with Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja to help India close out games. This is a possibility if Gill can be looked at as an opener.
#3 Shubman Gill's numbers are promising
Shubman Gill has promising numbers as an opener. They might not exactly be the greatest, but 499 runs from nine matches at an average of 71.29 shows he's done well in the limited opportunities he's had.
320 of these runs have come as an opener where he's scored three half-centuries and a hundred. With the World Cup set to be played in India, Gill's at an advantage considering that it's his own backyard.