"He plays with slightly hard hands" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill's dismissal in 1st India vs West Indies Test
Aakash Chopra has pointed out a technical deficiency in Shubman Gill's game that led to his dismissal in India's first innings of the first Test against the West Indies.
Gill managed only six runs before nicking a Jomel Warrican delivery to Alick Athanaze at second slip. Despite his cheap dismissal, the visitors ended Day 2 in Roseau on Thursday (July 13) at a comfortable 312/2, with a first-innings lead of 162 runs.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra praised Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal for scoring centuries. Regarding Gill's dismissal soon after the Indian skipper was caught behind, he said:
"Shubman Gill came at No. 3. It is difficult and he will realize that. He has played the majority of his innings in first-class cricket as an opener. He came at No. 3 here after a huge partnership. He plays with slightly hard hands."
While recalling that Gill was dismissed similarly in the home series against Australia, the former Indian opener feels the Punjab batter will need to rectify the technical glitch:
"If you remember the Indore dismissal, there also he went forward like this, Matthew Kuhnemann was the bowler and Smith held the catch. So his method of defending with hard hands, he will have to change it slightly as he plays more in Test matches."
Gill was given the No. 3 position in the ongoing Test based on his request. He walked out to bat after Rohit and Jaiswal had strung together a 229-run opening-wicket partnership but failed to drive home the advantage.
"Virat Kohli is now looking good" - Aakash Chopra
![Virat Kohli has scored an unbeaten 36 off 96 balls. [P/C: Twitter]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/07/40d5c-16893107242315-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra observed that Virat Kohli is looking good in the middle, with the West Indies' approach also helping India's cause:
"Virat Kohli came after that. He is giving himself time. The opposition team is also looking extremely flat. They have used nine bowlers and didn't take the second new ball until 100 overs. Virat Kohli is now looking good. He has not yet reached his fifty, so the small milestone is also left."
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Rohit Sharma and Co. are way ahead despite the wicket not allowing free strokeplay:
"India have gone far ahead. They are 162 runs ahead and are going slightly slow because the pitch is extremely slow. It is difficult to score runs quickly on this pitch but batting can be done, it is possible to stand here."
While highlighting that Ajinkya Rahane, Ishan Kishan, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are yet to come, Chopra concluded by opining that India will score 150 more runs at least and will only start thinking about a declaration once they get a 300-run lead.