There was only one change to India’s Test squad for the three-match series against South Africa, announced on Thursday, September 12 – KL Rahul was replaced by Shubman Gill – but that was enough for a few talking points to emerge. How does the side shape up? And what are the management’s thoughts on the future? We ponder below.
Where will Gill play?
Be it blue or white ?⚪
It’s always an honour to represent my country ?? pic.twitter.com/qfWMpwsMsw— Shubman Gill (@RealShubmanGill) September 12, 2019
Gill has been knocking on the Test doors for a while now – he voiced his disappointment last month when he was left out of all three squads for the tour of the Caribbean. Having finally received that call-up, the question now is, where will he play? “He has done well both as an opener and in the middle order, so he can be a back-up for both the slots,” was chief selector MSK Prasad’s assessment of him.
The 20-year-old has 1443 runs in just 14 first-class matches at 72.15. Earlier this week, he scored 90, opening the innings for India A against South Africa A in Thiruvananthapuram. In the Duleep Trophy, he batted at No.3 for India Blue, and in the two first-class matches in the Caribbean, he turned out at Nos.3, 4 and 5. During the Ranji Trophy last year, he opened for Punjab, scoring 728 runs in just five matches, including 268 against Tamil Nadu.
It’ll be intriguing to see where in the India line-up the management plays him. He will serve as back-up for this series, as confirmed by Prasad, but with the uncertainty in the openers’ slot, he might well be experimented with there. The middle order – with G Hanuma Vihari, Ajinkya Rahane, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya – seems harder to break through to.
The frustrating story of KL Rahul
On Thursday, with the BCCI announcing that there was a press conference to be held, and Kohli paying a mini-Twitter tribute to MS Dhoni, speculation was rife that the veteran’s retirement was set to be announced.
As it turned out, Prasad simply wanted to announce the small matter of India’s squads for the Tests against South Africa. Thereafter, both Chennai Super Kings and Dhoni’s wife confirmed that the rumour machines had simply been on overdrive.
But it still doesn’t answer the question – what’s the situation with Dhoni? The wait continues.
