0, 8, 2, 26, 36: Shubman Gill has had a horrid run in his maiden South Africa tour. After a fabulous year with the bat in 2023, scoring centuries across formats, the youngster ticked almost all the boxes. But it was only ODIs where he dominated. In the two other formats, he was inconsistent and his talent did not back his numbers. Former India pacer Zaheer Khan has warned Shubman of his concerning form after he fell for 36 despite a good start in the SA vs IND 2nd Test.
“Shubman Gill has the talent, there’s no doubt about that. Last year was a great one for Shubman and showed his prowess in all formats. He has scored runs and the talent is there,” Zaheer Khan said on the Cricbuzz show.
Shubman Gill finished 2023 with 1584 runs in ODIs including five centuries and nine half-centuries. He also hit a double ton in the 50-over format. In Tests though, he averaged 28.66 in 10 innings and in T20Is, he averaged 26.00 with nine single-digit scores in 13 innings.
Shubman Gill in 2023
| Format | Inn | Runs | Avg | 50/100 | Single Digit |
| Test | 10 | 258 | 28.66 | 0/1 | 4 |
| ODI | 29 | 1584 | 63.36 | 9/5 | 4 |
| T20I | 13 | 312 | 26.00 | 1/1 | 9 |
That Shubman Gill has failed to capiatlise on the starts is a matter of concern as per Zaheer Khan.
“But if you’re not scoring runs and have a patchy run of form then criticism will go on till the time you’re playing. Due to the expectations, you have to play with that pressure. But if you lose your wicket after getting off to a good start, then that’s concerning. But if you get dismissed early, then one shouldn’t think too much,” Zaheer Khan said.
With the BCCI selectors looking beyond Cheteshwar Pujara, No 3 was the slot which Shubman Gill could have cemented in Test cricket. But with no half-centuries since March 2023, he has not backed his claim. To make things worse for him, Ruturaj Gaikwad is waiting in the wings. Another failure could lead to the selectors axing him for Gaikwad in IND vs ENG Test series later this month.
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