Shubman Gill has plenty of talent, as was seen in Gabba four years ago, but India must expect more from their No.3, writes Sarah Waris.
“Gill ko toh runs ki bilkul hi nahi hai bhookh [Gill has no hunger for runs at all].”
Former Pakistan batter Basit Ali was scathing in his criticism of Shubman Gill after his dismissal for a single run at the Gabba, falling to a full ball outside the off stump from Mitchell Starc. India’s No.3 took the bait and played a hard drive, only to see it nestle in the hands of Mitchell Marsh at gully. India 6-2.
It was the same venue, where nearly four years ago, Gill had left the cricketing world mesmerised with a fine 91 that set up the chase in a monumental series win. Most of the headlines that broke the news after his knock revolved around different placings of the words ‘Gill’ and ‘future’. Having already earned plenty of praise from Virat Kohli even before his Test debut, the Australia series, where he ended with 259 runs in six innings, set him up nicely.
31 Tests later, Gill averages 35.76, his journey being marked by flashes of brilliance and bouts of inconsistency. Interestingly, that innings in Brisbane also remains the last time he scored more than 40 in a Test match outside Asia. He has played 12 matches away from the subcontinent in the format, averaging 26.30. But remove his runs Down Under in his maiden series, it plummets to a shocking 17.80.
More than the lack of runs, that he has struggled to string together a big knock is more concerning. In 10 out of 16 innings since the Gabba heist in 2021 outside Asia, he has scored below 20 on 10 out of 16 occasions. Unlike KL Rahul, whose Test average of 34.58 belies several knocks under pressure, Gill’s returns have been wrought by consistently low scores.
To be fair, not all of Gill's innings outside Asia have been lacklustre. He has shown glimpses of his potential in challenging conditions, such as his innings in Adelaide recently or in Cape Town at the start of the year. On a “challenging, tricky” wicket which saw the Proteas bowled out for just 55, Gill, walking out in the third over, made a crucial 55-ball 36, becoming one of three batters in the India innings to get to double-digits.
During the day-night Test in Adelaide, Gill’s 31 and 28 in the two innings, the latter coming at nearly run-a-ball, showcased his temperament. Gill had played with the pink ball only once before, against England in 2021, and adapting to its demands is a skill still being honed by the veterans. Gill had looked comfortable before failing to defend well.
The underlying problem, though, lies in his inability to carry on after getting set. For a team like India, whose middle order has been struggling in recent years, Gill’s role becomes even more critical. His starts are valuable, but he needs to convert those into match-defining scores.
As a No. 3 batter, Gill also occupies a position that has historically been associated with resilience and grit. While it is unfair to expect him to replicate the methods of a Rahul Dravid or Cheteshwar Pujara - players known for their ability to grind out bowlers and take body blows - certain aspects of their approach remain integral to succeeding in this role. Blunting the new ball and laying a solid foundation for the middle order is as much a part of Gill's job as playing his natural attacking game.
