"His place will definitely be under the scanner" - Dinesh Karthik on Shubman Gill's unimpressive Test record
Indian keeper-batter Dinesh Karthik believes that top-order batter Shumban Gill will have to score big runs in the upcoming second and final Test of the series against South Africa to retain his place in the red-ball team.
He pointed out how Gill has failed to translate his red-hot white-ball form into Test matches. Speaking to Cricbuzz, Karthik said:
"Shubman Gill is the big question mark here. He has not lived up to the expectations that people have. I think even he would be aware that if you are going to average mid-30s or early-30s after having played 20 Tests, then you would consider yourself to be a bit lucky to be around. His place will definitely be under the scanner if he doesn't have a great Test match in the next one."
Shubman Gill has struggled to get going so far in the ongoing South Africa tour. He registered scores of 2 and 26 in the recently concluded Boxing Day Test in Centurion. The youngster could score just eight runs from two innings in the T20I series against the Proteas.
Karthik suggested that India must bring in players like Sarfaraz Khan and Rajat Patidar, who have proven records in domestic cricket, adding:
"The only middle-order name that we are missing out on is Sarfaraz Khan. I have no doubt that he will make it to the squad much sooner than he thinks right now. Other than that, you do not have any other names doing the round in the middle order right now. Rajat Patidar is a very, very strong name that I think they will be looking at very soon."
India lost the first Test by an innings and 32, which is their biggest-ever Test defeat on South African soil. They were bundled out for 131 in the second innings. Virat Kohli was the lone warrior with his 76-run knock.
"It does not mean they would not come back in the squad" - Dinesh Karthik on Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara
India's Test veterans Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara didn't find a place in the squad for the South Africa series. Dinesh Karthik, however, believes the two seasoned campaigners could still make a comeback.
He opined that if the youngsters continue to fail in overseas conditions, the team management will be tempted to bring back Pujara and Rahane. Karthik said (via Cricbuzz):
"It looks like they have moved on from Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, but it does not mean they would not come back in the squad. If performances are put like this, then as a coach or a captain, you are going to think, let us go back to those players who have done in those countries that we are going to be touring."
The upcoming second Test is a must-win one for South Africa to avoid a series defeat. The contest will take place at Newlands in Cape Town from January 3 to 7.