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'Send Rohit To No.3' - Wasim Jaffer's Unique Idea To Revive Shubman Gill's Game

image-lryq5pi7Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill [X.com]

Wasim Jaffer came up with an extraordinary idea to try and revive India's elegant young batter Shubman Gill's confidence and game, suggesting the team management to ask skipper Rohit Sharma to demote himself in the struggling right-hander's place at No.3. 

Jaffer's remarks came after India's painstaking defeat in the first Test at Hyderabad against England where Gill looked woefully out of touch and mentally unclear about the best approach he could take to the middle on a slow surface which turned sharply only with the new ball.

A pattern of block, block, block and bang was never going to give Gill the substantial innings he desperately requires to boost the missing confidence since enduring a horrific run as a No.3 batter. From the time he requested the Indian team for a demotion in the order last July, the 24-year-old averages just 17.75 from his nine innings.

Jaffer Calls For A Rohit-Gill Swap 

With his 23 & 0 in the two innings of the first Test, Gill's overall average for India also slipped below 30 after 21 Tests and 39 innings. The right-hander has been under major scrutiny over his persistent poor showings and failures to justify his abundant talent for India in red-ball cricket. 

Life is only harder up the order but Jaffer reckoned Gill is missing the feeling of going out early and setting the stage for the innings, and put the onus on skipper Rohit to ease things for his young teammate by undergoing a swap. 

"Gill and Jaiswal should open, and Rohit should bat at no.3 in 2nd Test, in my opinion. Waiting to bat for his turn isn’t helping Shubman; he should open the inn. Rohit plays spin well, so batting at No. 3 should not worry him too much," Jaffer wrote on X.com. 

The Rohit-Gill swap may not be embraced by the team management and the selectors. However, it appears increasingly certain that Gill is struggling for self-confidence and faith in his technique and game. The batter needs a substantial score in the next Test in Visakhapatnam, starting February 2.