Anshuman Gaekwad explains why Shubman Gill struggled against England

Former India batsman Anshuman Gaekwad has suggested that Shubman Gill needs to play balls closer to his body to avoid getting into trouble.

Shubman Gill managed only 119 runs in the recently-concluded series against England, surprising many experts considering the impressive start he made in Australia. Standing up to the likes of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood, the 21-year-old scored 259 runs at an average of over 50 Down Under.

But against England, he looked out of sorts. According to Gaekwad, Shubman Gill’s footwork was found to be lacking on Indian soil. He told The Telegraph:

“I found his footwork a little less this time than how it was in Australia. That could be because of the uncertainty in the wickets, but then, that is of utmost importance.”

What a team! What a performance 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/B9P6D5loR9

— Shubman Gill (@RealShubmanGill) February 25, 2021

The former India coach, who himself opened the batting for India, also stressed the importance of playing closer to the body. He added:

“He shouldn’t play away from the body. He has been doing so of late and that’s where he got into trouble. For openers, on any wicket, it’s important to play late and close to the body — let the ball come in and not reach towards the ball. Your movement should be as less as possible at the time of delivery. You also have to be steady, your balance has to be right and you can’t be falling on the off side. These are small things though and can be rectified in time. But he has to do it in order to progress further.”

No need to panic over Shubman Gill: Anshuman Gaekwad

Shubman Gill

Despite Shubman Gill's recent struggles, Gaekwad is confident that the opener can overcome his problems. He wants the team management to back the youngster. The 68-year-old stated in this regard:

“Shubman has a good temperament to play at this level and can take pressure as well, which is a great quality.”

Providing the example of Mohammed Azharuddin, who also went through a bad patch after scoring three hundreds in his first three Tests, Gaekwad said:

“Even (Mohammed) Azharuddin went through a similar kind of phase. When he came in, he got three hundreds in a row and thereafter there was a lull of around six to eight months. So this is what international cricket is all about. Once your weaknesses are detected, the harder it becomes for you. So the quicker you get over these problems, the better you’ll be in time to come.”

Grit and determination.💪 Showing a fighting spirit throughout the series. #WorldTestFinals here we come 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/q78uyrgNjd

— Shubman Gill (@RealShubmanGill) March 6, 2021

Shubman Gill has scored 378 runs in seven Tests at an average of 34.36. He is yet to score a hundred but has three half-centuries to his name.