Here are three reasons Shubman Gill should play ahead of KL Rahul in the 2nd Test. India lost the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru by 8 wickets. For the first time in over 33 years, India lost a Test match against New Zealand at home. There has been criticism for everyone who failed in the match including the selection and captaincy. KL Rahul has fallen under the scrutiny for not performing in both the innings of the match along with some dropped catches.
Given the impact of the loss and India finding themselves in a must-win situation in the next two matches of the series, the fans are asking the Indian management to drop KL Rahul to include Shubman Gill in the Playing XI. The latter had a stiff neck and could not take part in the first Test.
Here are the three major reasons why it’s only fair to give Shubman Gill a run in the next two Tests over KL Rahul:
1. Shubman Gill having made number 3 his own
As a Test batter, Gill is someone who is naturally an opener. When he was asked to bat at number 3 for Punjab in domestic cricket, he had expressed concerns over it. However, he was assigned the role of number 3 after the emergence of Yashasvi Jaiswal. So far, Gill has looked good at the new position despite the early setback as Cheteshwar Pujara’s replacement.
India missed its number 3 in the match against NZ. Virat Kohli, a natural number 4, was asked to bat at a position higher, which changed the dynamics of the side. Gill has good numbers at 3 so far in the chances he has gotten. In 21 innings, he has 782 runs at a batting average of 43.44, at a batting SR of 63.06, including three hundreds and two fifties to his name.
2. Better form at home
While KL Rahul has performed well in away conditions, Gill is definitely a better bet at home conditions, given a better consistency in the last year or so. In 2024, Gill has established himself as one of the best Test batters at home. In the last 9 months or so, Shubman has been batting well and has better numbers than Rahul.
In the ongoing season, Gill has 662 runs in 15 innings at a batting average of 50.92, at a batting SR of 62.68 including three hundreds and a couple of fifties. On the other hand, Rahul has 234 runs in 8 innings at a batting average of 33.42, at a batting SR of 68.82, including two fifties. Even statistically, Gill makes a case for himself with his current form at home.
3. Recovery from injury
Following a stiff neck he endured during the series against Bangladesh, Gill was rested from the first Test against New Zealand. The star player, however, is match fit for the second Test. He was seen facing tough guns like Mayank Yadav and Mohammed Shami in the nets who cracked up some fiery deliveries at the emerging star. He seemed fit and ready to go.
The very reason of Gill not featuring in the playing XI in the first Test was due to his injury. Now that he is fit, he would walk into the side. Virat resorting to his natural number 4 spot would mean that Pant can bat at number 5. KL will not have a spot, as Sarfaraz Khan has been batting well at number 6 and has better stats than Rahul in 2024. All these factors make Rahul’s position in the team dangerous.
Disclaimer: This exclusive news is based on the author’s insights, analysis, and intuition. While reviewing this information, consider the points discussed and form your own conclusions.
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