Team India’s new batting sensation Shubman Gill has been in the news for requesting the team management to allow him to bat at the number 3 position after Cheteshwar Pujara was recently dropped from the team due to his bad form at the WTC final. Shubman Gill doesn’t have any prior international experience in batting in the No.3 position.
In the ongoing test between team India and the West Indies at Dominica, Shubman Gill will bat at the number three position, after the debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal opened with the skipper Rohit Sharma. Gill’s request has been approved by the team management and being given the luxury to choose his batting position is a rare instance of its kind.
Team India making a solid start on Day 1.
On day 1 at Dominica, the hosts team collapsed at a total of just 150 runs, with the star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin taking a 5-wicket haul. In reply, team India were steady at 80 for no wickets, with Yashasvi Jaiswal making 40 and Rohit Sharma 30 runs respectively.
Shubman Gil, A Proven Opener.
Ever since making his debut in 2020 for team India against Australia in BGT 2020-21, Gill has always been opening for India. He has played tremendously well at that spot. Shubman, a right-handed top-order batsman who hails from Punjab is known for his penchant for big runs.
For team India, as an opener Shubman has excellent batting averages at top order, 32, 65 and 40 runs on an average respectively in the tests, ODIs and T20Is respectively. Gill changing his batting order is bound to change team India’s dynamics in batting. Shubman Gill replaced Cheteshwar Pujara at number 3 after his recent bad form at the WTC final.
Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill’s demand
Star commentator found it very unusual for a player to make demand of changing his batting order to the team management and was surprised that the management gave Gill that much liberty to make such request and also approved it.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel said,
“Shubman Gill told team management that he wanted to play at no.3. It’s a very interesting thing, because you don’t usually hear such things happening in Indian cricket,” said Aakash Chopra.
“You don’t see a player telling team management that he likes to bat in a particular position. Neither does anyone make that request, nor anyone is given that luxury. But the good thing is Yashasvi Jaiswal can now open,” he stated.
“Shubman at no.3, I’m not surprised. I tweeted in 2020 that he would play long for India but in few years’ time, you would see him batting in the middle. Now, he has himself expressed that wish,” he added.