Shubman Gill’s form has come under intense scrutiny following his lacklustre performances in the first Test at Hyderabad and the ongoing second Test at Vizag against England. After a shaky start in Hyderabad and somewhat composed innings in Vizag, Gill’s struggles have persisted since his recovery from dengue during the World Cup.
In the first Test, he managed a mere 23 runs, and his dismissal in the ongoing Test’s opening day saw him fall for 34 runs to James Anderson. His batting average, which once showed promise, has now dropped to 29.5 in his 21 Test appearances, with only two centuries and four half-centuries to his name. Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has come out in support of Gill, likening his situation to that of the legendary Jacques Kallis, who also faced a rough start to his Test career.
“Kallis averaged 22 in his first 10 Tests and turned out to be arguably the greatest player to play the game. Give @ShubmanGill time to find it, please. He’s a serious player!” Pietersen wrote on his ‘X’ handle.
The 24-year-old’s struggles have been compounded by his demotion to number 3 in the batting order, a move prompted by the emergence of Yashasvi Jaiswal as a reliable Test opener. The pressure on the right-handed batter to retain his place in the Indian Test squad has intensified, especially considering his underwhelming average of 18.81 in the last seven Tests, where he has managed only 207 runs.
However, Kevin Pietersen’s comparison drew criticism from fans and think tanks on social media, citing South African legend Jacques Kallis’s unparalleled stature in the cricketing world. Despite Pietersen’s backing, Gill’s recent performance in the ongoing Test series at home has raised concerns among fans and experts alike. With only 57 runs in three innings against England, including a duck and scores of 23 and 34 in Hyderabad and Vizag, respectively, calls for his exclusion from the upcoming Tests have gained momentum.
Here’s how ‘X’ users reacted to Kevin Pietersen’s view on Shubman Gill:
Bringing Kallis into this is absurd. Kallis brought value to his team with both bat and ball. Gill is only a batsman.
If Gill can be Kallis, ‘by your logic’, so can Sarfaraz, Shaw, and many others. Give everyone a run for 40 innings and see who has a better chance to be a…
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) February 2, 2024
How much time? India got serious talent in domestic circuit. Time to move on & try some youngsters
— Karthik (@vsk_says) February 2, 2024
Sacked fraud gill, give atleast one chance to Sarfaraz Khan he’s most deserving candidate for chance
— Sankott (@Iamsankot) February 2, 2024
No doubt! Patience is key, and talent like Shubman Gill’s will definitely shine through. Exciting times ahead! #INDvENG
— Rahul Saini (@RahulSa33588809) February 2, 2024
Absolutely. Gun player. Still young and will only get better with playing more red ball cricket. With Rohit’s best playing days fading, Gill is here to stay and replace him in the long
— Basit Subhani (@BasitSubhani) February 2, 2024
KP I understand that Shubman Gill should be given time, but let’s be brutally honest, he is no where close to Jacques Kallis…
— Praneet Samaiya (@praneetsamaiya) February 2, 2024
He will comeback, early stage of career every player will have bad patch.
— Babu K (@Babu_K_08) February 2, 2024
Not at all he is not playing well in his own backyard, what will he perform in overseas test matches.
— CHADitya 🚩 (@CHADitya_18) February 2, 2024
Don’t fall into KP’s traps, BCCI. He’s an undercover English spy advocating for Gill in the team just because he knows Gill is a ‘walking wicket.’ He wants India to be one down even before the match starts.
— Ashutosh Rana (@ranaashutosh100) February 2, 2024
At least give him time till the end of the series with England 🤪
— Amit Sinha (@amitdel1964) February 3, 2024
Not sure, if there were talented (and deserving) replacements available at that time in SA. And not sure if his batting order was changed just to accommodate him in the XI. Gill is a serious player and is visible to many because he got chances. Why not give it to others as well?
— Puru (@coachpuru) February 3, 2024
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