On Shubman Gill's Poor Show In West Indies, Ex-India Star Points Out Flaws
Shubman Gill averages 65.55 in ODIs, 40.40 in T20Is, but when it comes to Test cricket, he only averages 19.
Former India batter WV Raman highlighted two aspects that youngster Shubman Gill needs to work on to consistently score runs in the longest format of the game. Despite cementing his place in the Indian team in all three formats, Gill has failed to impress experts and fans with his batting in the longest format of the game. The 23-year-old averages 65.55 in ODIs, 40.40 in T20Is, but when it comes to Test cricket, he only averages 19. In the recently concluded Test series, Gill failed to get beyond 29 in three innings. Even in the first ODI, Gill was out for 7.
Raman feels 'hurried sideways trigger' and over-reliance on bottom-hand stroke making have been the reasons behind his lack of runs in the longest format.
"I found he was making too much trigger movement sideways. It was also a bit quick. What could result from it is, you will have real good days and real bad days. On some days the trigger movement will be in sync or bowling will be such that it will help you get runs. And on certain days the movements will be disconnected with what is being required," Raman told The Indian Express.
"Lot of batters of late allow the bottom hand to dominate their pick up and down swing. Such batters will struggle against the incoming delivery because primarily their bat will be going across their body, the path of the bat will be a horizontal swing rather than a vertical swing. Let's say on a clock face, the bat swing will be 10-4. It won't be 12 to 6. Some will have 11-5, some have 10-4 and in some exaggerated cases between 9-10 and 3-4.
"Bottom hand domination is not going to help you tackle the incoming ball because it will be a case of bat going across the body and the bat face will be closed and thereby giving minimal chance for bat coming to contact with the ball," he added.
In white-ball cricket, Gill has evolved into one of the most explosive batters.
During this year's IPL, he amassed 851 runs for Gujarat Titans.
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