"He has been given the cushion perhaps even a Cheteshwar Pujara didn’t get" - Anil Kumble on Shubman Gill
Team India's top-order batter Shubman Gill's underwhelming run in red-ball cricket continued as he failed to make a significant impact in the first Test series against England in Hyderabad.
Batting at No. 3, Gill got off to a decent start in India's first innings, scoring 23 runs. However, he once again failed to convert his knock into a big score. To make matters worse, he bagged a two-ball duck in the second innings.
Former India head coach and legendary spinner Anil Kumble has now stated that Gill has been given a long rope despite a string of poor performances. He further claimed that even a Test specialist like Cheteshwar Pujara hasn't received this kind of backing from the team management.
On the Sports 18 show Match Centre Live, Kumble said:
"He (Gill) has been given the cushion perhaps even a Cheteshwar Pujara didn’t get. Although he [Pujara] has played over a 100 Tests, I keep coming back to him mainly because that was his place not too long ago."
"Pujara played in that World Test Championship final and post that, it’s been Shubman Gill, who’s been moving from the opener’s slot, and he himself wanted to bat at No.3," he added.
Suggesting that Shubman Gill will be under immense pressure if he isn't able to turn things around in the upcoming second Test against England, Kumble added:
"So, when you want to bat at No.3, especially in India because you have that talent, you certainly need to work on your game. He has the skills, he is young and he’s learning, but he needs to do it in Vizag, otherwise, the pressure will be on him."
Shubman Gill has an average of 29.52 so far, having chalked up 1,063 runs in 21 Tests. His numbers at No. 3 are also unimpressive; he averages just 21.00 at that position.
"He needs to be a lot freer" - Anik Kumble's suggestion for Shubman Gill
Anil Kumble also spoke about how Shubman Gill needs to find a way to counter the spinners. He noted that the youngster tends to play with hard hands, which isn't the best technique on spin-friendly pitches.
Addressing Gill's struggles against spin bowlers, Kumble said:
"He needs to be a lot freer. He needs to score runs. He needs to come up with his own plan of action to tackle spin because he has hard hands. It’s good for good surfaces where the ball is coming on nicely and the faster bowlers are bowling at you.
"But when the ball is turning, when it’s slow, you need to use your hands and control and check your shots. That’s something he needs to work on. It can’t be one flow all the time."
Kumble further suggested that head coach Rahul Dravid can help Gill get into a good mindset ahead of the second Test.
"Yes, four days before the next Test, can you work on your skill? I think it’s all the mindset. You can certainly work on your mindset, and you have the best possible person as the coach (Rahul Dravid) to manage that for Shubman Gill," he said.
India suffered a 28-run loss in the first Test, failing to chase a 231-run target in the fourth innings. The second Test of the five-match series will be played at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam from February 2.