Shubman Gill denies Dhruv Jurel No.3 spot in Test team, backs GT teammate for the role
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The Indian red-ball skipper Shubman Gill has backed his Gujarat Titans teammate Sai Sudharsan despite the young left-hander's early struggles in his Test career. Gill has emphasised his abilities and reaffirmed his belief in the youngster.
Ever since Shubman Gill took over as the captain of the Indian side, he has found all his batters scoring runs and dominating the longest format with sheer form. However, the Indian team has failed to find a batter to replace the legacy of the former Indian legend Virat Kohli.
While Karun Nair was also tried over several instances in England, Sai Sudharsan has been their most suitable pick for the role. However, he is still battling to find consistency in the format. Having played the first 3 matches of his career on English soil, he could manage just one half-century and has now missed out on runs when he played his first game on Indian soil.
"I don’t really think he’s going through a lean patch," Shubman Gill on his Titans teammate's flop show for India
The Indian captain, Shubman Gill, has thrown his weight behind young batter Sai Sudharsan. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Gill had urged patience and perspective when it comes to his Gujarat Titans opening partner Sudharsan.
Ahead of the second Test match, which is scheduled to be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium starting tomorrow, Gill's message was one of calm and conviction.
"I don’t really think he’s going through a lean patch. He got only one innings in the first match (Ahmedabad Test). In the Oval Test, he played a crucial knock of 40 on a wicket where the ball was swinging. The match before that, he scored a fifty in Manchester. Not everyone is going to score in every match. You have to give young players more opportunities as they’re still figuring out their game," Gill said.
Unfair to judge Sudharsan based on a couple of innings—Shubman Gill backs Sai Sudharsan for no. 3 position in the Indian team
The Indian skipper reiterated his faith in the youngster’s ability, describing him as a long-term option for India’s No. 3 position. So far, Sudharsan has scored 147 runs in seven innings, while the numbers don't yet reflect the promise of the management's decision to persist with him.
However, having snubbed Karun Nair, the signal is belief in Sudharsan as a long-term investment at the top of the Indian batting order.
"We believe you have to see a player’s potential in its entirety and not judge them based on just one, two, three, or four matches. Once someone has been given six, seven, or eight games, then you can sit back and assess where they need to improve, whether that means playing more domestic cricket or India A matches. But as of now, we think he’s the right man for us, and someone who can play at No. 3 for India for a very long time," he added.
Sudharsan was seen working closely with Captain Gill in the nets
Sudharsan is known to have a close on-field rapport with Shubman Gill since the two players open for the Gujarat Titans in the IPL. He was picked for the Indian Test team after the player clinched the Orange Cap with 759 runs in the last IPL season.
On October 9th, a day before the second Test in Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, Shubman Gill was found working closely with Sudharsan in the nets. His solid technique and temperament have impressed, but the lack of big scores has sparked quiet comparisons to Karun Nair’s fate.
Gill has been seen tailoring batting advice and even stepping in to practice alongside him during the throwdowns. This highlighted the chemistry between the two Indian players and also shed light on the captain's faith in the young cricketer.
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India National Cricket Team Shubman Gill Gujarat Titans India vs West Indies ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Sai Sudharsan West Indies National Cricket Team
