Shubman Gill's Overseas Woes: A Tactical Decision or a Form Slump?
As India grapples with team composition, Shubman Gill's struggles in SENA countries and his overseas record at number three raise tough questions.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in the fourth test match of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Test Series against India. India made one change from the last test at Adelaide. Indian Captain Rohit Sharma explained team composition after losing the toss. He said, ‘We have one change - Gill misses out and Washington comes in. (On whether he will bat at the top of the order) Yes, I will.’
Before the match, speculation were rife that who would be dropped to make way for a second spinner, Washington Sundar. Many experts suggested that Washi to replace Nitish Kumar Reddy. However, Nitish crucial knocks in last three test solidified his place in the playing XI.
Nitish has been the third highest scorer for India so far, amassingh 179 runs with an average of 44.75. His strike rate of 72.17 is the second best in the series. In contrast, Gill has only managed to Score 60 runs, averaging 20. While Rohit hasn’t clarified whether Gill was dropped due to poor form or tactical reasons, his omission raises questions.
The Mighty SENA struggle
Gill’s omission might seem like a tactical decision, but his recent form suggests otherwise. In 2024, Shubman Gill scored 866 runs in 12 Tests, averaging over 40 with three centuries. While run-scoring hasn’t been a consistent issue, Gill’s struggles in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) nations highlight a significant gap in his performance.
In Australia, Gill has scored 319 runs at an average of 39.87, with his best score of 91 coming during the iconic ‘Toota Hai Gabba Ka Ghamand’ chase. However, his performances have dipped since then. On the 2023-24 South Africa tour, Gill managed just 74 runs in two matches, averaging 18.5. His struggles in England are even more glaring—scores of 28, 8, 17, 4, 13, and 18 in six innings give him an average of just 14.66.
Gill is among the worst Indian batters who has scored more than 500 runs since his debut. He has played 14 test matches outside India. In these matches he has scored 683 runs. His average of 28.45 is only better than Ajinkya Rahane's 28.37. No other batter from India averages less than 30 in these Conditions.
Pivotal Number 3
Gill debuted as an opener in Gabba but was later shifted to No. 3 due to the emergence of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Cheteshwar Pujara’s poor form. While Gill has shown flashes of brilliance at this position, scoring 986 runs at an average of 39.44 with a best of 119*, his overseas numbers tell a different story.
Gill has played six overseas Tests as India’s number three batter, scoring 179 runs in 10 innings at a disappointing average of 19.88, with a best score of 36. Among players who have batted at least five Tests at number three since his debut, Gill’s average is the second-worst, ahead of only Kirk McKenzie. Even Cheteshwar Pujara, sidelined by the Indian management, averaged a respectable 33.96 outside India.
India’s decision to include Washington Sundar shows a proactive approach to team balance, but Gill’s exclusion raises questions about whether form or team strategy was the driving factor.