Former India cricketer Ajit Agarkar reckons that Shubman Gill should is the best-suited player for the number 6 spot in India’s batting order in the upcoming 4-match Test series against Australia, the first of which would be played in Adelaide, followed by Melbourne, Sydney and finally Brisbane.
With skipper Virat Kohli flying back home after the opening Test at Adelaide Oval, Ajinkya Rahane is likely to promote himself at number 4, behind Cheteshwar Pujara, who bats at number 3.
Hanuma Vihari would be batting at number 5, and since there’s no Hardik Pandya in the Test unit, there is a strong chance that Shubman Gill would make his way to the Indian playing XI. Although the 21-year-old Punjab-born cricketer plays as an opener for his domestic team Punjab and India A, Agarkar feels that he wouldn’t have an issue in the middle-order.
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In the ongoing tour of Australia, Gill recorded a score of 33(39) in the third and final ODI at SCG, then followed with scores of 0(1) and 29(24) in the first practice Test at Drummoyne Oval, and with knocks of 43 (58) and 65(78) in the second practice Test underway at SCG.
With Prithvi Shaw having a dry run with the bat and Rohit Sharma not available for the initial two Tests, there is a slight chance that Gill might open the innings alongside Mayank Agarwal.
“Everyone seems to be an opener at the moment in this squad, isn’t it? Because Vihari and Rahane are obviously going to be playing in the middle order with Pujara. So those are threes spots that you would believe are occupied. My pick would be Shubman Gill at 6. I think a lot of people have picked him an opener,” said the former speedster Agarkar on the Sony Sports Network.
Though Team India could rope in an in-form KL Rahul in the middle-order on account of his performances in the limited-overs cricket, however, Agarkar feels that Gill is better suited for the slot than anyone at this juncture.
“Yes, he opened in First-Class cricket for a season, or a little bit more, and has a good record. But, I still feel that his best position might be somewhere in the middle. At least in Test cricket, because I don’t see any better options at this point. People could point put to KL Rahul and his white-ball form but if I had to pick, I will go with Shubman Gill,” he added.
