Shubman Gill’s performance in T20Is has been anything but smooth even though calling it a disaster may be extreme but the reality of his failures in the format is unavoidable. Gill has been touted as the face of Indian cricket and he has received extraordinary faith and backing from the selectors as well as head coach Gautam Gambhir. He was already outside the T20 squad for more than a year but he was added back in the team – his comeback raised more questions than answers especially about India’s selection criteria.
Shubman Gill – The poster boy of India
Indian cricketer has witnessed some of the greatest leaders of the team like – Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. These players defined ears and carried the team on their shoulders. Now Gill has been handed over the responsibility of two formats already and with only one format left, it is obvious that he is the next standard-bearer.
Gill’s miserable form in T20Is
But numbers tell a completely different story especially in T20Is, since he made his comeback in September Gill has played 15 T20I innings across three countries against seven different teams but he has only managed to score 263 runs at an average of 21.92 and a strike rate of 115.56. Even in the second T20I against South Africa, his golden duck highlighted the poor slump he is in.
Gill has produced strong performances in Tests batting at No.4 but his white-ball performance particularly in T20 format has dipped sharply the decline now is so visible that fans and cricket experts have started to question his place in the team.
Who pays the price? Yashasvi Jaiswal & Sanju Samson
To fit Gill in the T20 top order, the management decided to break a strong opening partnership of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma – a duo that delivered consistently. Samson in paid the highest price – despite scoring three T20I centuries in just five innings last year, he was dropped down the order and now he has even lost his place from the playing XI.
Then there is Yashasvi Jaiswal, the young Indian who has been one of the most explosive batters India has ever witnessed, He has the ability to attack fearlessly and play explosive shots but he still continues to warm the bench while Gill gets VIP pass to stay in the team despite repeated failures.
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India’s future planning misfires
Gill’s extended chances suggest that the Indian Team management is leaning more towards future planning rather than present performances. It is important to groom a leader but not at the expense of team’s best performing players. Gill is undoubtedly the future of Indian cricketer and has the capability to succeed but leadership grooming must align with form. Players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson have earned the right to play consistently because ultimately, the priority should be winning matches for the nation, not grooming individuals.
