Shubman Gill has not been impressive in Test cricket in recent times. After playing a key role in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2020/21, Gill has not been able to live up to the expectations in the longest format of the game. The star batter has played good knocks here and there but has not been able to give consistent performances with the bat for India.
Having played 21 Test matches, Gill averages just 30.37 in Test cricket till now. The youngster has not been able to ace the format, particularly in home conditions. In 2021, Gill scored 478 runs in 17 innings at a batting average of 29.88, including four fifties. In 2022, the right-handed batter managed to score 178 runs in six innings at a batting average of 29.67 including a hundred.
The hundred in the year came against Bangladesh. In 2023, Shubman was at his best in LOIs. But in Test cricket, he continued to show inconsistency. In the year, Gill scored only 258 runs in ten innings at a batting average of 28.67, including a hundred. In 2024, Gill has played 3 innings so far and scored 36, 10, and 23 respectively. The star batter has yet to play a career-defining knock in the last three years.
Alternate options to replace Shubman Gill
After scoring 91 at the Gabba, Gill has not been able to adapt to Test cricket. In all the conditions he has batted since then, Gill has failed, barring in Bangladesh. In recent times, India has decided to move on from senior batters like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. In their absence, India is trying out various options to replace them. Gill has replaced Pujara at three against South Africa and England.
Even after getting a change in position, Gill has not been able to fire as a batter. It makes one think of the alternatives in the crucial position. India has options like Rajat Patidar, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan. While these are conventional options, there are some unorthodox options as well like Washington Sundar, Hanuma Vihari, and other batters who are waiting for their opportunities in the team.
