"Gill will have to wait for his chance" - Harbhajan Singh weighs in on India's batting order for 2nd BGT 2024-25 Test
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh believes Shubman Gill will have to wait for his opportunity and will not be part of the playing XI in the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at Adelaide, starting December 6. With skipper Rohit Sharma and their regular No. 3 Gill out for the first Test, Team India produced a dominant performance, winning by 295 runs to take a 1-0 series lead.
Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul opened the batting for India and put on India's first-ever 200-run opening stand in Tests Down Under in the second innings in Perth. Their terrific showing has left the management with a good headache of where the returning Rohit and Gill will fit in the batting order.
Weighing in on this during a conversation with Sports Today, Harbhajan Singh recently said:
"I guess Gill will have to wait for his chance. You took Jurel in for a match and when he didn't make runs, you would make him sit outside. So you can't play Gill from opening to No.5 as well. It's a complicated situation and you do feel trapped. But it's good only. I feel they will play Gill ahead of Jurel. But I feel Jurel should be played and given the chance."
Gill has been in stellar form in Tests this year, averaging over 47 in 10 games. Meanwhile, Dhruv Jurel failed to capitalize on his opportunity in the opening Test, scoring 11 and 1 in the two innings.
"Let this KL Rahul-Yashasvi Jaiswal combination continue" - Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh believes the KL Rahul-Yashasvi Jaiswal opening combination should continue, with the incoming Rohit Sharma batting at No. 3 in the second Australia Test in Adelaide.
Rohit has not batted anywhere except the opening spot in Tests since the 2018-19 Australian tour.
"I would say let this KL Rahul-Yashasvi Jaiswal combination to continue. Shubman Gill, I guess, will have to make way for captain Rohit Sharma at No.3 and then Virat Kohli at No.4. After that, it is almost set," Harbhajan said in the same interview.
Rohit has opened the batting in 42 out of his 64 Tests, averaging an impressive 44 at the position with nine centuries.
Should the 37-year-old bat at No. 3 in the second Test, he will replace Devdutt Padikkal, who scored 0 and 25 in the first Test, in the position.