"Cooling his heels must be one of the toughest pills to swallow"- Ravi Shastri baffled at Indian batter's exclusion before 5th BGT 2024-25 Test

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri expressed surprise at Shubman Gill's exclusion from the playing XI for the fourth Test against Australia in Melbourne. With India going for a second spin option in Washington Sundar, Gill made way after playing the previous two Tests.

The 25-year-old paid the price for scoring only 60 runs in three innings at an average of 20 across the two Tests he played. Yet, Gill had been among India's best Test batters in 2024, averaging over 43 with three centuries in 12 outings.

Speaking on the ICC review, Shastri questioned India's decision to leave Gill out of the Boxing Day Test.

"There’s Shubman Gill, a player of his quality averaging over 40 in the year 2024 and not playing, which is a shame. When you average over 40 in the year 2024, not many players have averaged over 40 – I think he's averaging 43 or 44 – for him to be sitting and cooling his heels must be one of the toughest pills to swallow," he said.

Shastri added:

"It tricks your brain as to what he’s doing sitting on the bench and warming it. How can he be out of the XI is my question. Now how he comes into the XI, that's the call of the team. I'm trying to think, if I had to make him sit out or make a player who is averaging 40 sit out, what will I tell him?"

The move to drop Gill backfired on India as they suffered a massive 184-run defeat to fall 1-2 behind in the best-of-five series.

"Demands scrutiny as to how you can keep a player like that out" - Ravi Shastri

India Men's Test Squad Training Session - Source: Getty

Ravi Shastri felt the decision to drop Shubman Gill needed further scrutiny, considering the lack of overs bowled by the extra bowling option. India utilized Washington Sundar for only 19 overs across the two innings, while their spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was anyway over bowled with almost 54 overs.

"There has to be an extremely valid reason, to tell him that, ‘you are sitting out’. If you are talking balance of the team, we are playing an extra bowler, then give that bowler bowling. If he is not bowling enough, then why are you keeping a player like him out? It's an area that demands scrutiny as to how you can keep a player like that out," said Shastri.

Gill has enjoyed success in Tests down under, evidenced by his average of almost 40 in five Tests in Australia.

It remains to be seen if the youngster is back in India's playing XI for the fifth and final Test at Sydney, starting January 3.