'When You're Batting at No. 3..', Shubman Gill Reveals Reason Behind His Demotion
Shubman Gill will bat at no. 3 in Dominica Test [Source: Twitter]
In an era where keeping a place in the playing XI is tough, Shubman Gill opted to demote himself in batting and play as India's No.3 batter against West Indies in the ongoing first Test at Dominica. Gill has big roles to fill, as the last two Indian number threes were current head coach Rahul Dravid and out-of-favour Cheteshwar Pujara.
Mumbai's Yashasvi Jaiswal, who made his debut for India on Wednesday, came out as the designated opener along with skipper Rohit Sharma, and the duo added 80 runs before the end of play on Day 1 after West Indies closed their innings on 150.
Speaking to official broadcasters, Gill, who bats at No.3 in domestic cricket, explained why he self-demoted. As quoted by India Today, the 23-year-old batting at No.3 is not much different than opening.
Gill opens up on batting demotion
"They (Team management) asked me where I wanted to bat, and I said I wanted No. 3. It is a position where I want to consolidate. It is always good to play with the new ball. I have the experience with the new ball, and when you're batting at No. 3, it is not very different although there is a little bit of difference."
Gill, who has played 16 Tests for India, and struck two centuries and four fifties already, when asked about his role in the side as a pro, maintained that he is still not a senior player.
"Not really. Roles are different. Definitely not feeling that way."
The Punjab-born is coming off a fantastic Indian Premier League (IPL) season for Gujarat Titans, slamming 890 runs, apart from hitting hundreds in Test, ODI, T20I, and IPL in the same calendar year.
 "Vishal Mehra")
