Ahead of the third T20I, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has asked Indian team management to give a long rope to Prithvi Shaw. Gambhir also feels that Shaw should be India’s on-the-go opener for 2024 20-20 World Cup.
Team India is set to play a must-win game against New Zealand on Wednesday at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. Going to the final T20I of the three-match series Indian team management is facing the heat of criticism over team selection and performance.
A major point of discussion is the non-performance of the opening pair against spin bowlers. Fans and experts are demanding to include Prithvi Shaw in the playing eleven in the place of either Ishan Kishan or Shubhman Gill. Both Kishan and Gill were unable to perform against the Kiwis. The latest shot on the team is taken by Cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir.
Gambhir, while speaking with broadcasters, spoke about the future of India’s T20 team. When questioned about the reason India did not match up with Shaw in the shortest format he said, “I was taken aback once more. I believe you must give him a chance and a longer rope, particularly in the T20 format, because I see him starting the batting in 2024 if selectors begin to look beyond Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.”
“Gill is more suited for a 50-over game”, Says Gautam Gambhir
According to Gambhir Shaw is more suited to the shorter format, despite Gill’s performance in one-day internationals. He believes that Shaw and Ishan Kishan can offer the Men in Blue much-needed explosive starts. “Shubman Gill has performed admirably in the 50-over format, but Prithvi Shaw is the player in this side for whom T20 is his game, and he plays it extremely naturally”, Gambhir said on ‘Match Point’.
“You have to stick with Prithvi Shaw and Ishan Kishan, and those players can go out there and play with the template that we have been talking about for so long”, Gambhir further adds. Notably, Prithvi Shaw has a strike rate of 151.67 in 92 T20s.
