Sanjay Manjrekar, the former Indian cricketer turned commentator, has urged Shubman Gill to elevate his Test performances following a single-figure score on Day 1 of the first Test against South Africa at Supersport Park in Centurion. Manjrekar noted the competitive environment for spots in the team, emphasizing the necessity for Gill to deliver consistent performances.
Having shifted to the No. 3 position since the West Indies tour earlier this year, Shubman Gill has encountered difficulties in scoring runs. The Punjab-born batter has posted scores of 6, 10, 29*, and 2 in recent innings. On the opening day of the first Test, Gill poked to a delivery on the hip off debutant Nandre Burger, resulting in a catch down the leg to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne behind the stumps.
Shubman Gill will be backed in Test cricket- Sanjay Manjrekar
In a conversation with Star Sports, Manjrekar expressed his opinion that Shubman Gill has a secure place in ODI cricket. However, he believes there is room for improvement in Gill’s performances in the other two formats of the game.
“Shubman Gill has to keep getting runs,” Manjrekar said. “If you look at his T20 performances, you know he is getting some serious competition there. Test cricket, I think, they will back him more, but the numbers have to keep coming. At the moment, Gill looks entrenched and established in the 50-over format. In the other two formats, there is work to be done, but class-wise, he is a real deal.”
Shubman Gill made his debut against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) during the 2020-21 tour, delivering impressive performances in that series. Despite getting his first Test ton against Bangladesh and a second one against Australia earlier this year, Gill currently holds a modest Test average of 32.20 in the format.
It has come to be about delivery and It’s about runs now- Sanjay Manjrekar on Shubman Gill
Manjrekar believes that Shubman Gill possesses genuine class and talent but emphasizes the importance of converting that potential into consistent and substantial performances. The 58-year-old commentator added:
“He is the real deal. There is class there. Somebody who gets a 90 in his very first Test match in foreign condition against a good attack, has to have class. Now, finally, it has come to be about delivery, right? It’s about runs now. And his average at the moment is in the low 30s. He has been around for a while. The thing in India is that he has got batting competition coming through.”
At the same time, Team India reached a total of 208-8 on a rain-interrupted first day at Centurion, with KL Rahul playing a pivotal role and remaining unbeaten with a score of 70.
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