"There will be a lot of pressure on KL Rahul" - Mohammad Kaif on whether Shubman Gill can open in the Tests vs Australia

Mohammad Kaif feels Shubman Gill could replace KL Rahul as India's opener in the Test series against Australia if the latter does not fire in his first couple of innings.

Gill has been in scintillating form lately across all formats of the game. The Punjab opener smashed an unbeaten 126 off 63 deliveries in the final T20I against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Wednesday (February 1) to help the Men in Blue register an emphatic 168-run win in the series decider.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Kaif was asked whether there would be a temptation to open with Shubman Gill in the Australia series, to which he responded:

"It can happen although KL Rahul is the vice-captain. I think he (Rahul) will only start. There will be a lot of pressure on KL Rahul. He will have to score runs straightaway. If one or two innings go bad, you will see Shubman Gill opening in place of KL Rahul."

The former Indian batter reckons Gill will start the series in the middle order, elaborating:

"Gill might get a place at No. 5 or No. 6. He will definitely play. (Cheteshwar) Pujara will be at No. 3 and (Virat) Kohli is at No. 4. (Shreyas) Iyer is not yet fit. So there is a place at No. 5 or No. 6 where he can be fit."

Kaif highlighted that the youngster has been on a run-scoring spree of late, observing:

"He scored his first Test century recently in Bangladesh. In the last one to one-and-a-half months, he scored a century in a Test match, scored a double century and after that his bat has not stopped."

Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are likely to open in the first Test against Australia in Nagpur, considering the success they have enjoyed as a pair. Gill might pip Suryakumar Yadav for the middle-order berth left vacant due to Shreyas Iyer's injury-enforced absence.

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"There is simplicity in his batting" - Mohammad Kaif on Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill is known for his pleasing strokeplay. [P/C: BCCI]

Kaif feels Gill deserves to be accommodated in the playing XI, stating:

"He (Gill) is the sort of player you would want to see playing in the XI. So he will get a place somewhere or the other. He is a class batter and has form with him. There is simplicity in his batting."

The cricketer-turned-commentator concluded by highlighting that Gill, unlike Suryakumar Yadav, plays authentic cricketing shots, explaining:

"Suryakumar Yadav moves around and hits sixes over fine leg but this guy just makes a base, watches the ball and hits it wherever it ought to be hit. He hits fours at the start and has started hitting sixes in the end. That is a difference we have seen in his batting."

Gill has aggregated 736 runs at a slightly below-par average of 32.00 in the 13 Tests he has played. However, he enjoys an excellent record against Australia, having amassed 259 runs at an impressive average of 51.80 in three Tests, including a crucial 91-run knock in the epochal win at the Gabba.

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