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Shubman Gill, The Outdated T20I Opener? Abhishek Sharma Is The Way To Go?

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma with the trophy after the series against Zimbabwe [X]Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma with the trophy after the series against Zimbabwe [X]

India have just completed a dominating win over Zimbabwe in a T20I series by a 4-1 margin. It was an important series for the Indian team as a new look team went to play the series under the leadership of Shubman Gill. 

Abhishek Sharma started the series as Shubman Gill's opening partner. But as the series went on, we saw a change in the slot, and Yashasvi Jaiswal replaced Sharma. 


Shubman Gill, the slowest Indian opener

Now, the question stands for India, whom to back as the opener in the coming years? Also, the next T20 World Cup is in 2026, where India will be defending their title on home soil. On Indian and Sri Lankan wickets, all the teams will be looking for explosive openers up top who can give them some explosive starts. Standing at this juncture, let us first of all look at the strike rate of the Indian 'openers' who went into the Zimbabwe tour. 

Player
Innings
Runs
Strike Rate
Abhishek Sharma
4124174.65
Yashashvi Jaiswal
3141165.88
Ruturaj Gaikwad3133158.33
Shubman Gill5170125.93

The table gives us the idea that even though Shubman Gill was the highest run scorer, he was the slowest of the players who are in contention for the opening spot. T20 cricket is evolving to a stage where the 'Virat Kohli' school of batting, where you can take some time at the beginning and then increase the scoring rate, will go extinct. 


Gill hinders India as a T20 team

Players like Travis Head, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Finn Allen, and Phil Salt coming to the fore, most of the teams in the world of cricket will be moving on to players who can tear apart the opposition at the beginning of the match. 

To go a step further and prove the point, let us look at the T20 career strike rate of the these players and compare it with Shubman Gill.
Players
T20 Strike Rate
Travis Head
143.88
Jake Fraser-McGurk155.95
Finn Allen167.22
Phil Salt155.55
Shubman Gill136.71

This comparison shows us that in an era where most of the openers are trying to maintain a strike rate of over 150, Gill is still scoring in the 130s. If the Indian team persists in going with Shubman Gill and he does not evolve his game, then unfortunately, India will fall behind in the competition. 

Also, if you think of the probable XI of India, Abishek Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal make more sense, with Suryakumar Yadav to follow at number three or four. So, it is probably time India looks ahead of Shubman Gill at the top in the T20s.

With the exploits of Abhishek Sharma in the Zimbabwe series, he looks to be the perfect fit of the role. Yashasvi Jaiswal has already proven himself at the highest level of cricket in all the formats. So, Sharma-Jaiswal looks like the best suited opening pair of India going ahead. If you at all need a stabiliser in the top order, Ruturaj Gaikwad can play the role. He can stabilise the innings if the going gets tough and switch gears when needed. There is a  much more dynamism and flexibility to Ruturaj's T20 batting, than that of Shubman Gill.