Captaincy taking a toll on batting: Shubman Gill must take a leaf out of Rohit Sharma's book

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill [Source: AFP]

Indian captain Shubman Gill sustained his lean patch on the Australia tour, registering yet another low score in the ODI series. Gill, who scored 19 runs in the first two ODIs combined, managed 24 runs on a relatively flatter deck at Sydney Cricket Ground before Josh Hazlewood sent him packing. 

Shubman Gill's horror run on Australia tour in a nutshell

Shubman Gill finished the ODI series against Australia with 43 runs across three innings at a mediocre average of 14.33 and a strike rate of 81.13. These numbers suggest that he not only scored significantly fewer runs than his average ODI score, which is on the higher side of 50s, but also struck at a much slower rate. 

After Nathan Ellis trapped him with a harmless delivery down the leg side at Perth, Gill hit Xavier Bartlett's full-length ball straight to the mid off, where Marsh took a sharp catch to dismiss him in the second match. Thus, Gill attained the lowest of the lows, recording the lowest batting average after at least three innings as an Indian captain in an ODI series Down Under. 

While the seam-friendly conditions certainly affected Gill's scoring rate in the first two ODIs, his casual shot selection and lack of experience in playing ODIs in Australia played a significant role in his downfall. 

Rohit gives a checkmate to BCCI, Gill found wanting on Aussie soil

Interestingly, Shubman Gill's poor run coincided with the rise of Rohit Sharma, whom the former had replaced as the Indian ODI captain just before the Australia tour. The BCCI selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, cited Rohit Sharma's age and form as the primary reason behind his captaincy snub, handing over the reins to Gill, whom the Indian management sees as the captain for the 2027 ODI World Cup. 

However, Rohit and Gill came up with contrasting results, making the selectors wonder whether it was the right move for an eyebrow-raising captaincy swap. Gill's willow, burdened by the weight of leadership, failed to do the talking, while Rohit proved why the Indian cricket fanatics worship him like a demigod, showcasing his mettle for the umpteenth time in the format. 

The former skipper had a shaky start, getting out for eight runs in Perth. However, he took a little time to bounce back, leading the charge for India with impactful knocks in the subsequent matches. His silky smooth wristwork was on the display, while Rohit also got the crowd going with his fireworks. Thus, the 38-year-old comfortably outclassed his successor, using all his experience against Australia's formidable attack. 

Rohit vs Gill: Comparing first ODI series as captain

As evidenced by the data presented in the above table, Rohit Sharma scored 78 runs across three innings in his maiden series as India's permanent ODI captain. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill managed 43 runs at a significantly lower average of 14.33 than his predecessor in his first series as the ODI captain. So, Rohit was also not at his absolute best in his maiden ODI series as the captain, although he recorded much better numbers than Gill. 

Final word: What Shubman Gill can learn from Rohit Sharma

Although Rohit Sharma didn't have a great outing in his first series as the skipper, he worked on his game, eventually emerging as India's go-to man at the top order. After Shikhar Dhawan's retirement, Rohit played the aggressor's role, nailing the demands of the modern-day game with class and precision.

The Hitman led from the front, scoring 597 runs at a magnificent average of 54.27 and a strike rate of 125.95, playing a pivotal role in India's qualification for the 2023 World Cup final. Therefore, as Gill has also started on a similar note, he must take the leaf out of Rohit's book and learn the art of leading from the front before it's too late. 

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