"You have two openers who have scored runs in difficult conditions" - Irfan Pathan doesn't see Shubman Gill as a Test opener at the moment

Irfan Pathan feels Shubman Gill cannot replace either Rohit Sharma or KL Rahul as India's Test opener at the moment.

Gill is part of the Indian squad for the upcoming four-match Test series against Australia. The Punjab opener has been in spectacular form lately and smoked an unbeaten century in India's emphatic 168-run win in the series-deciding final T20I against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Wednesday, February 1.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Pathan was asked whether Shubman Gill had sealed his place as an opener in all three formats. He replied in the negative, elaborating:

"Not in all three formats but in two formats. If you talk about Test matches, you have two openers who have scored runs in difficult conditions, scored runs in England and won matches for India there."

The former Indian all-rounder feels KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma cannot be displaced in Test cricket because of Gill's outstanding performances in the shorter formats, saying:

"KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma are there, so suddenly because Shubman Gill has scored runs in the T20 format, you cannot ask them to step aside and let him play. You need the stability."

Apart from his recent exploits in white-ball cricket, Gill also scored a century in the first Test against Bangladesh in December last year. However, he might have to wait his turn as an opener but might get a place in the Indian XI in the middle order in Shreyas Iyer's absence.

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"If it continues like this, you will see Shubman Gill alongside Rohit Sharma in the World Cup" - Irfan Pathan

Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma strung together a 212-run opening partnership in the final ODI against New Zealand. [P/C: BCCI]

However, Pathan sees Gill opening alongside Rohit in the ODI World Cup later this year if he continues his rich vein of form, stating:

"I feel he has sealed his spot in T20 cricket after this century. He has done that in ODI cricket in any case. If it continues like this, you will see Shubman Gill alongside Rohit Sharma in the World Cup, there is no doubt about that."

The cricketer-turned-commentator reckons the Gujarat Titans player will continue opening in T20Is as well after his century in the final game against the Kiwis, observing:

"Now with the confidence he will get in T20 cricket, you can assume that his place is almost assured because a transition period is going on there after the T20 World Cup. So you will see him there."

Pathan concluded by saying that he is convinced that Gill is a future three-format player, considering the ease with which he plays both spin and pace. He also expects the youngster to be a leader in the future.