According to former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, Shubman Gill has secured his spot as a permanent player in the Indian team. He will likely be one of the first names on the team sheet when Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid meet to select the India XI for the upcoming WTC final.
The question of who would partner with Rohit Sharma as opener in future matches had been up in the air due to KL Rahul’s poor form. But Gill seems to have allayed any concerns, at least for the time being. After replacing Rahul in the third Test, Gill displayed positive intent and solid strokeplay, hinting at the possibility of a big score in the near future. He eventually delivered on that promise, smashing an excellent century in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.
Gill made use of the opportunities says Ganguly
Gill was always considered a promising prospect for the future and has had previous opportunities as a Test opener. When KL Rahul lost form and Prithvi Shaw’s technical issues were exposed in Gill made his debut and performed admirably. However, in subsequent matches, Gill was unable to convert promising starts into big scores, and Rahul reclaimed his spot in the team after Gill’s injury in England. Gill had to bide his time for over a year before getting another chance in the Test side, but he has made an excellent start this time around. He recorded his first Test century in Bangladesh in December. And followed it up with a solid innings in the fourth Test against Australia.
It’s worth noting that despite his inconsistent performances in Test cricket, Gill has excelled in limited-overs formats. Responding to Gill’s future, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has stated that the 23-year-old is a permanent fixture in the Indian team. He will likely be among the first names considered in India XI for the WTC final.
“Firstly, congratulations to India for beating Australia. India have won in Australia, and they have won in England. So there is no reason why they can’t win it again (In the WTC final). Bat well, score 350-400, and you’ll be in a position to win. Yeah (I see Shubman Gill retaining his place in the side). He has been brilliant in the last six-seven months. What else does he need to do? He’s a permanent player now,” Ganguly.
