Shubman Gill can’t play? - Kevin Pietersen delivers honest verdict on struggling batter

Former England international batter Kevin Pietersen who was a part of the English squad that was the last team to beat India in a red-ball series back in 2012, has come out in the defense of India’s top-order batter Shubman Gill after the 24-year-old failed to produce an impact whatsoever in the 1st of a 5-match Test series against England.

India endured a 28-run defeat to the hands of Ben Stokes’ side which was initially in the back seat before gaining full control of the game as the Test match proceeded. One of the key reasons behind India’s dramatic loss was the poor form of number 3 batter Shubman Gill, who is going through a rough patch in the longest format of the sport.

Gill had scores of 23 and 0 across the 2 innings in Rajiv Gandhi stadium as his issues against left-arm finger spin were heavily exploited by Tom Hartley who removed him from the crease on both occasions. In India’s 1st innings with the bat, Gill did play a few good shots over covers and towards the leg side but he fell prey to Hartley’s over-pitched delivery and handed a routine catch to the mid-wicket fielder inside the circle.

Then in the 2nd innings, Shubman Gill was in shambles. While trying to knock the ball down with hard hands, he mistakenly gave another catch this time to the silly point fielder Ollie Pope who could not have done anything wrong on day 4 as he pulled off a brilliant catch to dismiss the right-hander for a 2-ball duck.

Immediately after Gill departed, the Indian middle-order crumbled before a collapse and then a loss was inevitable even if the tailenders had put up a fight for the win. Tom Hartley registered career-best figures of 7/62 in the 4th innings as India were all out for 202.

While many cricket pundits have bashed Shubman Gill for his no-show, Kevin Pietersen who had defended him when he got out for 23 in the 2nd innings, has once again come to his aid, stating that he will not be dropped for the Vizag Test and that he is more than capable of staging a comeback.

“I don’t think you can get rid of somebody as quickly as one Test match. He will definitely play in Vizag and let’s have a look and see how he prepares for the next Test. Let’s not cast Shubman Gill aside and say he can’t play. He can play. When you talk about feelings, he give me the feeling of sheer joy and delight when he walks out to bat. I want to watch him bat,” said Pietersen on Jio Cinema.

“I Would Be Bothered About…” – Pietersen Says Shubman Gill Has Strong Reasons To Appear At Number 3

Kevin Pietersen went on to claim that he is not much bothered about the way Shubman Gill got out in the 1st Test. He also mentioned that even if his average is not convincing enough, Gill has the potential to do well from number 3 and that is why he was trusted for that role in the first place.

“You don’t want to look at them (Gill’s average). There is a reason why he is batting at No.3 it’s because of the kind of player that he is and what he can do. I am not too bothered about two dismissals. What I would be bothered about is his performances in second and third Test.” – Pietersen concluded