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'He Will Have To Change That': Aakash Chopra Points At Shubman Gill's Shortcomings

image-lk26apt6Shubman Gill (Twitter)

In the first Test match against the West Indies in Dominica, Team India asserted their dominance, finishing Day 2 with an impressive 162-run lead in the first innings and eight wickets in hand. Yashasvi Jaiswal's unbeaten knock of 143 and Rohit Sharma's century contributed to India's strong position, while Virat Kohli remained undefeated at stumps, aiming for a substantial lead over the Windies.

However, India's young talent, Shubman Gill, had a disappointing outing as he batted at the number three position for the first time in Test cricket. With Cheteshwar Pujara excluded from the team and Yashasvi promoted to open the innings, Gill took on the first-down spot and could only face 11 deliveries before being dismissed by spinner Jomel Warrican, scoring just 6 runs. Gill's defensive push resulted in a thick outside edge, caught by Alick Athaneze.

Former India player Aakash Chopra analyzed the new Indian number 3's brief innings and highlighted a noticeable weakness in his technique, particularly in the context of Test cricket. Chopra observed that Gill tends to play with "hard hands" even when executing defensive shots, creating a vulnerability in his batting approach.

"It is difficult at no.3, and Shubman Gill would know it. He has played as an opener majorly in the past. He came at no.3 after a very long partnership, I've noticed he plays with the hard hands. If you remember the Indore Test (against Australia), he went similarly hard and the ball carried towards Smith. He will have to change that shot, especially when it comes to Test cricket. He's a great player otherwise," said Chopra.

The 21-year-old Jaiswal, who took over the opening role from Gill, made history alongside Rohit Sharma on Day 2 of the Test match. Their outstanding partnership of 229 runs set a new opening record for India, as it became the first time in Test history that India took the lead in the first innings without losing a wicket. 

This achievement came after West Indies were dismissed for 150 runs on Day 1.