3 reasons why the 3rd India vs Sri Lanka T20I is crucial for Shubman Gill

Young Team India opener Shubman Gill will be under pressure when the Men in Blue take on Sri Lanka in the third T20I at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot on Saturday, January 7. The three-match series is tied at 1-1, with both teams having everything to play for in the decider.

Gill, 23, made his T20I debut in the first match of the ongoing series against Sri Lanka. It was not a memorable first game for the right-handed batter as he was dismissed for just seven off five balls. Team India, however, went on to clinch a close encounter at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai by two runs.

Gill was retained for the second match against Sri Lanka, which was played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. He was again dismissed for a single-figure score by Kasun Rajitha in India’s 16-run loss.

While the youngster has only featured in two T20Is so far, we look at three reasons why the decider against the Lankans in Rajkot will be crucial for Gill.

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#1 Shubman Gill’s shot selection has come under the scanner

The Indian opener has registered single-figure scores in both T20Is against Sri Lanka. Pic: Getty Images

A couple of failures are not a big deal in international cricket. But it is Gill’s shot selection that has caught the eye, and for the wrong reasons.

In his debut T20I, he fell to Maheesh Theekshana. The right-handed batter completely misjudged a skidder from the Lankan spinner. He went for a pull, but the length was nowhere near short enough. Gill was struck on the back thigh and trapped in front of the stumps. To make matters worse for India, he even wasted a review.

In the Pune T20I, he played an even more disappointing stroke. India had already lost Ishan Kishan cheaply in a chase of 207. They needed Gill to steady the innings. However, he fell in the same over, chipping a delivery from Rajitha to mid-on. The batter wanted to attempt another pull but again picked the wrong delivery. He looked to check his stroke, but it was too late.

In the past as well, Gill has been guilty of giving his wicket away via soft dismissals. He is prodigiously talented without a doubt, but temperament is one area he needs to work really hard on.

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#2 His inconsistency has been exasperating

The 23-year-old has lacked consistency with the willow. Pic: Getty Images

Irrespective of the format, Gill’s level of consistency has been disappointing - exasperating if you consider the kind of talent he possesses. The Punjab and Gujarat Titans (GT) batter has so far represented India in 13 Tests and 15 ODIs, apart from the two T20Is in the ongoing series against Sri Lanka.

Gill has scored 736 runs in his Test career at an average of 32, with one hundred and four fifties. The right-hander scored a sublime 91 in the iconic Gabba Test in January 2021. However, he managed only two half-centuries in his next eight Tests, with a best of 52. There were a number of starts that weren’t converted.

Gill notched his maiden Test ton during the tour of Bangladesh. However, apart from his 110, his scores in the other three innings of the series read 20, 20, and seven. Even in ODIs, he scored plenty of runs against West Indies and Zimbabwe but has failed to replicate the success against stronger opponents.

The 23-year-old is still relatively new to international cricket. Without sounding too harsh, it can be said that the hunger for big scores sometimes seems lacking in the gifted batter.

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#3 Ruturaj Gaikwad is waiting in the wings

Ruturaj Gaikwad batting against South Africa. Pic: Getty Images

Just as Kishan has been preferred over veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan for the ODIs against Sri Lanka, Gill must also be mindful of the fact that Ruturaj Gaikwad is waiting in the wings.

Gaikwad has had a disappointing start to his T20I career, managing only 135 runs in nine innings at an average of 16.87, with a solitary half-century. He will be desperately waiting for another chance.

If Gill fails to make an impact in the third T20I as well, assuming he is picked, the Indian think tank might be tempted to bring Gaikwad back into the playing XI for the Men in Blue’s future T20I assignments.

The Maharashtra batter, who won the Orange Cap in Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) title-winning IPL 2021 season, has been in tremendous form in domestic cricket.

Gaikwad smashed four hundreds in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022, with three of them coming in consecutive games. The stats also include a scintillating 220* off 159 against Uttar Pradesh.

The 25-year-old was the Player of the Tournament for amassing 660 runs in five matches at an average of 220 and an excellent strike rate of 113.59. He will be waiting to pounce on any opportunity that comes his way.

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