Shubman Gill's 46 Off 39 Balls vs Australia Triggers Debate, Ex India Stars React

India won the 4th T20I against Australia, pulling themselves 2-1 ahead in the 5-match series on Thursday. Despite the result, vice-captain Shubman Gill couldn't prevent himself from being targeted on social media. Gill emerged as the top-scoring batter for India in the match, with a knock of 46 runs off 39 balls. Yet, a section of fans targeted him for a slow strike rate. Former India cricketers Varun Aaron and Irfan Pathan, however, were quick to jump to his defence, saying the nature of the pitch forced Gill to bat in that manner.

Aaron, who has been working as a pundit for the broadcasters of the India vs Australia series, said Gill's 46 was 'worth its weight in gold' as the pitch made it difficult for batters to score runs at a faster pace.

"The thing with Gill is that when conditions don't favour batting, you can always put your money on Shubman Gill because of his technique, because of his poise, and because of his game awareness. He knows exactly what the wicket offers, what kind of stroke play, and he plays according to that. So you need somebody like Shubman Gill in the T20 setup. When people raise questions about Shubman Gill being in the T20 setup, it never makes sense to me because this is what he gives you when everybody else fails on a wicket that is slightly difficult compared to the other wickets in this whole series. He gives you a 46, which is worth its weight in gold," said Aaron.

Irfan also echoed Aaron's verdict, saying Gill has a particular style that doesn't look as flashy as Suryakumar Yadav's. But that doesn't mean his place in India's shortest format side should be questioned.

"I want to focus on the key players, especially Shubman Gill. In my previous video, I had pointed out two things: the team paid special attention to Shubman Gill's batting. He did not try to hit big shots recklessly; he focused on timing. Initially, he concentrated on placement rather than power. He looked for boundaries through timing. That's his style, and if he maintains that, he will score runs. Under pressure, he gave a good start even without scoring a fifty. This ensured that the other batsmen kept scoring at a good pace."

"When Suryakumar Yadav came in, he played big shots, hitting a couple of sixes, including a strong sweep, and maintained an excellent strike rate. This shows that Shubman Gill has his own role and style, focusing on timing, and it paid off," said Pathan.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Suryakumar Yadav Shubman Gill Varun Aaron Irfan Pathan Australia vs India 2025 Cricket