Former cricketer Wasim Jaffer heaped huge praise on young India opener Shubman Gill as claims that the 22-year-old is the next big batter who came out of the Indian team after Virat Kohli in recent times. Gill made his Test debut on 2020-21 Australia tour where he played a 91-run knock in the iconic Gabba Test which was crucial for India’s historic series win Down Under for the second consecutive time. However, Gill failed to cement a place in the XI as senior batters KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma were preferred over him for the majority of matches.
On Friday, Gill smashed his maiden Test century against Bangladesh in the opening Test to display his class on a tricky surface. He scored 110 runs off 152 balls which was laced with 10 fours and three sixes.
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Jaffer talked highly of Gill and said that he is an all-format batter and with his maiden ton the monkey is off his back now.
“It is good that it came. He missed out on a couple of opportunities before but I am happy this monkey is off his back. He is a class player, I will probably go ahead and say that after Virat Kohli, he is the next big batter to come out of the Indian camp. He is a three-format player and I am hoping to see a lot more good things from Shubman Gill,” said former India opener Wasim Jaffer on ESPNCricinfo.
The veteran opener further suggested that Shubman might retain his place in the second Test even if Rohit Sharma returned to the side.
“It is an old saying, when the batters don’t perform, the bowlers get dropped. So I am guessing there will be one bowler less and one batter added in. We will see that one spinner might be less in the second Test,” said Jaffer.
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Jaffer said that Gill usually bats in the middle order in domestic cricket and suggested that the number 5 slot will be ideal for the 22-year-old.
“He has played in the middle order for his state team and he will get used to it. Openers getting slotted in the middle order is not a big deal because you are used to playing spin. It is the other way around which can trouble because when a middle-order player is used as an opener, he is not used to playing the hard new ball on a fresh pitch. If Gill is slotted to bat in No.5 or any other position, I think he will be well suited to play there. As an opener, when you play bigger innings you play the old ball and the spinners on a wearing pitch. So I am pretty sure he will get used to it easily,” he said.
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