Shubman Gill’s cricketing career has skyrocketed due to his outstanding recent form. He began by scoring a maiden Test century against Bangladesh in December, followed by his first ODI ton in January. Subsequently, Shubman Gill smashed two more centuries in the 50-over format, including an astounding double hundred against New Zealand. He cemented his status as an all-rounder after hitting a brilliant century in a T20 game against the Kiwis, making him the youngest Indian to have scored a century in all three formats.
With KL Rahul’s recent dip in form, he has been selected for the final two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Although the 23-year-old has been able to keep his spot in the team thus far, here are three reasons why Shubman Gill should replace him permanently in the Indian Test squad.
#1 Assurance by Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill’s impressive showing in Under 19 cricket highlighted his batting prowess, leading to him being fast-tracked into the Indian 50-over team for the 2019 World Cup. Despite a challenging introduction, he impacted the domestic circuit and performed solidly during the 2020-21 tour of Australia. With a range of admirers, including former cricketers, fans, commentators, and pundits, Gill is set to become world cricket’s next big star.
#2 Shubman Gill’s current form
Shubman Gill is having a purple patch lately, as he has scored centuries in all three formats in the last few months. His very first Test ton was in December, followed by a glorious streak of centuries in ODIs against New Zealand and Sri Lanka, and then he finished off with a T20 century against NZ. Most recently, in the Ahmedabad Test, taking over for KL Rahul, he scored another century, which only solidified his immense talent and confidence. India must make the most of his prime form and not let him sit on the sidelines again.
#3 Repeated failures of KL Rahul
KL Rahul made his Test match debut in 2014 and has since represented India in 47 matches, although his showings have been hugely up and down. Unfortunately, he has yet to entirely live up to expectations, with an average of 33.44, far below the expected level in a nation with such an incredible talent pool. As such, it would be challenging to justify giving opportunities to someone underperforming.