"If he doesn't score runs, the questions will become bigger" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill failing once again in 3rd India vs West Indies T20I
Aakash Chopra reckons Shubman Gill's place in India's T20I side will become questionable if he continues to fail with the bat.
The West Indies set the Men in Blue a 160-run target after opting to bat first in the third T20I in Guyana on Tuesday, August 8. The visitors chased down the target with seven wickets and 13 deliveries to spare despite both openers, including Gill (six runs off 11 balls), falling cheaply.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra pointed out that Gill needs to start delivering if he wants to keep at bay the questions surrounding his place in the XI. He elaborated:
"Yashasvi Jaiswal came to open alongside Shubman Gill. Yashasvi got out in the first over. He tried to play a big shot and got out. Shubman Gill once again got out, this time off Alzarri Joseph's bowling. He was dismissed off his bowling in the last match as well."
The former Indian opener added:
"Questions will be raised. He committed a mistake once again. He will play for now but it is important that he scores runs, because if he doesn't score runs, the questions will become bigger."
Gill has aggregated a paltry 16 runs in his three innings of the ongoing series. He was caught at midwicket while trying to play a pull shot off Alzarri Joseph's bowling in Tuesday's game.
"A valid question will be asked that if you can make Ishan Kishan sit out, then why not Shubman Gill?" - Aakash Chopra
![India dropped Ishan Kishan but retained Shubman Gill in their XI for the third T20I. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2023/08/dc98b-16915574059987-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra highlighted that Shubman Gill could meet the same fate as Ishan Kishan. He observed:
"You have to remember that we have played 11 matches since the T20 World Cup and he has played almost all the matches, he has missed just an odd one in between. So a valid question will be asked that if you can make Ishan Kishan sit out, then why not Shubman Gill?"
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that youngsters like Gill are failing to grab the opportunities given to them in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's absence. He stated:
"You are not playing Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. If you are giving opportunities to a young player, that player has to make the most of his chances. No one gets indefinite time. He did score a very good century against New Zealand. Other than that, I think he has just one 50-plus score and the rest are all low scores."
Gill has aggregated 218 runs at an average of 27.25 in nine T20I innings. Barring his unbeaten 126-run knock against New Zealand, he has managed just 92 runs in his other eight hits and hasn't reached the 50-run mark even once.