ODI World Cup 2023
3 possible replacements of Shubman Gill ahead of 2023 World Cup opener against Australia
India’s opening batter Shubman Gill, has been a batting sensation in the recent couple of years. The 23-year-old batter in 20 ODIs in 2023, has scored 1,230 runs at an average of 72.35 and a strike rate of just above 105. He has scored 5 centuries and 5 fifties this year, with the best of 208.
According to reports, Gill had been suffering from dengue. This will be a concern for the Men in Blue side ahead of their ODI World Cup 2023 opening game against Australia as the batter was supposed to open for Sunday’s game. Gill was down with a high fever and was tested for dengue on Friday before a final call was taken on the matter.
If Gill does not start the game who will be the 3 possible replacements for the batter?
3. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli has been in sensational form in the last couple of years. In the Asia Cup 2023, he made a century against arch-rivals Pakistan in their super-4 clash. In that match, he surpassed 13000 ODI runs and became the fastest batter to do so. If Shubman misses the match, Kohli can be a replacement in the opening slot.
The 34-year-old batter has only scored 166 runs in seven matches at an average of 23.71. He opened in his debut match against Sri Lanka and scored 12 runs off 22 deliveries. His last appearance as an opener in ODIs came in the second game against Bangladesh in December 2022, when skipper Rohit Sharma injured his finger while taking a catch.
2. KL Rahul
KL Rahul made a sensational comeback in the Asia Cup. He made a century in the Super 4 match of the Asia Cup against Pakistan. He has opened the innings for India in the past. Rahul has scored 884 runs from 21 innings at an average of 46.5. Rahul’s strike rate as an opener is 80.6. Whenever he has scored less than 50 runs, his strike rate drops to just 63.6 which is shockingly low.
He has 3 centuries to his name, but none of his centuries has come at a strike rate of 100. In the middle order, he has been one of the most dependable batters for the Men in Blue. In that, he has scored 750 runs at a similar average of 46.9. If the reports of Gill’s dengue are positive then he might be an option to open the innings against Australia.
1. Ishan Kishan
Ishan Kishan (Source- Twitter)
Kishan is the front-runner to replace Shubman Gill in the first match against Australia. He has been in exceptional form recently in the middle-order for India, as the batter played an underpressure knock of 82 runs off 81 balls against Pakistan during the Asia Cup group stage match. The SouthPaw has also scored a double-century against Bangladesh.
Ishan has been a natural opener but due to Gill’s exceptional form as an opener he was dropped from the squad and he came in as a middle-order batter when KL Rahul was injured. Ishan’s explosive style made the against-team bowlers think about their line and length. In the West Indies series, he scored 184 runs at an average of 61.33 with scores of 52, 55, and 77.
