3 reasons why Shubman Gill's Test returns are a concern for India

Team India's Shubman Gill is undoubtedly one of the most talented batters among the current crop of young cricketers. He has come up with his spectacular performances in limited-overs cricket over the last year. As a result, he has been touted by many as the next big thing in Indian cricket.

In 24 ODIs, he has scored 1311 runs at an excellent average of 65.55 and a strike rate of 107.10, with four hundreds and five fifties along the way. The right-handed batter also has a double hundred to his name.

In T20Is, he has played six matches, scoring 202 runs at an average of 40.40 and a strike rate of 165.57, with one hundred.

Many cricket pundits reckon that Gill is an all-format player. However, while he has shown some glimpses of brilliance, the 23-year-old has failed to make much of an impact in red-ball cricket. Playing in his 18th Test, Gill has scored 937 runs at an average of 31.23, with two hundreds and four fifties to his name.

In the wake of his struggles in the traditional format of the game, we analyze three reasons why Gill's Test returns are a concern for India.

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#1 Gill’s manner of dismissals

The right-handed batter has a Test average in the low 30s. (Pic: Getty Images)

What has been clearly evident so far in his 18-Test career is the fact that Gill has definite issues with his technique when it comes to defending. The right-handed batter doesn’t seem to be sure of where his off-stump is and as a result, has been dismissed by nicking the ball or getting cleaned up.

If we look at some of his recent dismissals, Gill was bowled by Scott Boland for 13 in the first innings of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final against Australia at The Oval. He completely misjudged a delivery that angled into the stumps and ended up hearing the death rattle and the ball crashed into the stumps. In the second innings, he was batting on 18 when he jabbed at a good length ball from the same pacer and ended up getting a healthy edge.

In the two innings that he has played in West Indies so far, Gill’s technique has again come into question. In the first Test in Dominica, he was out for 6, nicking a tossed-up delivery from Jomel Warrican. In the first innings of the ongoing Test in Trinidad, he was out for 10, pushing at a length delivery from Roach and again getting a nick.

With easy access to technology, teams have found a method to trouble Gill on and around the off stump in Test cricket. It’s up to the youngster now to find a way out of the rut.

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#2 Poor record both at home and away

The youngster’s technique has been tested in challenging conditions. (Pic: Getty Images)

Gill’s poor Test record both at home and in overseas conditions is rather shocking given the kind of talent he possesses. While it is understandable that newcomers in international cricket are bound to struggle in challenging conditions away from home, Gill has failed to produce the goods in familiar conditions in India as well.

In eight home Tests, he has scored 417 runs at an average of 32.07 with one hundred and two fifties. He did score 128 in the Ahmedabad Test against Australia in March this year. However, he averages 19.83 from four Tests against England and home and 36 from two Tests against New Zealand.

The numbers aren't too different from his stats in overseas Tests. In 10 matches, including neutral venues, he has scored 520 runs at an average of 30.58.

Gill showed a lot of promise during his debut Test series in Australia and even set up the iconic win at The Gabba with a sublime 91. However, he has failed to build on the impressive start.

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#3 Overall inability to convert starts

The 23-year-old needs to grab his opportunities in red ball cricket. (Pic: Getty Images)

The inability to convert starts has also been a hugely disappointing aspect of Gill’s Test career so far. Of his 32 innings, he has been dismissed between 15 and 25 six times. On four occasions, he has fallen in the range of 26 to 35 runs. Further, Gill has been out in the 40s as many as three times.

Also, there are three instances when he has lost his wicket immediately after reaching his half-century in a Test. He was out for 50 against Australia in Sydney (January 2021), 50 against England in Chennai (February 2021), and 52 against New Zealand in Kanpur (November 2021).

For a player of Gill’s caliber, these must count as way too many missed opportunities. Luckily, he has age on his side and Indian cricket will be hopeful of him overcoming his technical and mental deficiencies in Test cricket.