3 reasons why Shubman Gill's place in the Indian T20I side shouldn't be questioned
Team India just can't seem to find any solutions to their opening woes in T20I cricket.
The last two World Cups saw Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul take up the mantle for the Men in Blue, whose displays in important tournaments have been rather underwhelming. Since the 2022 T20 World Cup, Rohit hasn't been part of the T20I side, with younger options being tried out in his absence.
Shubman Gill is one of those players who have now become all-format regulars for the national side. However, the opener's performances in the ongoing five-match series against West Indies have been distinctly sub-par. This has led to concerns over whether he is the right man to be at the top of the order in the shortest format.
There's enough evidence to suggest that he is. Here are three reasons why Shubman Gill's place in the Indian T20I side shouldn't be questioned.
#3 Two innings ago, Shubman Gill hammered a T20I century
All great players go through brief periods of inconsistency, and Shubman Gill needs to be given a long rope before questions can be raised regarding his place in the side.
Only two innings ago, in his last T20I knock before the series opener against West Indies, Gill hammered his maiden international century in the format. The youngster piled on an unbeaten 126 off just 63 balls at his favorite ground in Ahmedabad, a knock featuring 12 fours and seven sixes.
Not only was it a great individual effort, but it also helped India seal the three-match series against New Zealand, which was delicately placed at 1-1 heading into the decider. After such a display, Gill has failed only twice and deserves more leeway.
#2 The Gujarat Titans opener had an prolific 2023 Indian Premier League campaign
The Gujarat Titans (GT) might have fallen short at the final hurdle in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). However, Shubman Gill was simply sensational throughout the competition.
Gill amassed a whopping 890 runs at an average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 157.8 to run away with the Orange Cap. The 23-year-old racked up four fifties and three hundreds over the course of the season.
At one point, it even seemed like he might break Virat Kohli's record for the most runs in a single edition of the league.
As the standout Indian batter in the prestigious T20 league, Gill is clearly one of the brightest talents in the country. He should be treated as such in the national side.
#1 Shubman Gill has virtually no weaknesses in his game
Numbers and performances often paint a misleading picture, so we also need to look at the strengths and weaknesses of Shubman Gill, the batter.
Gill has started slowly in the last two T20Is and hasn't been able to dig himself out of the dot-ball holes. If he can sort out his starting troubles and strike some boundaries at the outset, he won't have the added pressure on him and will be able to play freely.
When Gill plays with abandon, he's bound to be good. The stylish opener is assured against both pace and spin and has no clear weaknesses in white-ball cricket. He is comfortable against hard lengths and is also adept at using his feet against the slower bowlers.
Gill has all the makings of an all-format great, and he's bound to crack the T20I format in the way he has managed to take over ODIs.