Vikram Rathour passes verdict on Shubman Gill's 'proposal' after 1st Test vs WI

Batting at no. 3, Shubman Gill managed to score just 6 runs in the first test against West Indies at Dominica.

Having performed exceptionally well as an opener in all formats of the game, Shubman Gill expressed his eagerness to claim the No.3 batting position in the Indian Test cricket team. As experienced batsman Cheteshwar Pujara was not part of the squad for the West Indies series, Rohit Sharma decided to introduce a new batsman for the vital No.3 spot during the team's tour of the Caribbean.

During a press conference before the first Test match between India and West Indies, Rohit Sharma made it clear that Shubman Gill would be taking over Cheteshwar Pujara's position as the new No.3 batsman in the team's star-studded lineup. Interestingly, it was Gill himself who approached head coach Rahul Dravid and expressed his interest in batting at the No.3 position. If Gill had not taken up the opportunity, it's likely that Yashasvi Jaiswal would have been considered for the vacant No.3 spot in the team.

Shubman Gill's Disappointing Performance in the 1st Test

Unfortunately, Shubman Gill couldn't make a significant impact with the bat in the match, as he got out for just 6 runs off 11 balls. However, it was Yashasvi Jaiswal (171), Rohit Sharma (103), and Virat Kohli (76) who stood out as the top run-scorers for India in the 1st Test against the West Indies, shining brightly with their performances.

The Reasoning Behind Shubman Gill's No. 3 Batting Position

After India's impressive victory over the West Indies in the 1st Test, Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour spoke to reporters and showed his full support to the superstar player, Shubman Gill. Rathour expressed confidence in Gill's abilities and believed that he would strive to rectify any shortcomings in the upcoming series decider.

Rathour clarified the reason for Shubman Gill being assigned the No. 3 batting position in the Test match. He revealed that originally, there were three openers slated to play in the match, and therefore, one of them needed to shift to the No. 3 spot in the batting lineup. Interestingly, Shubman Gill willingly offered to take up this position, expressing his confidence in playing at No. 3.

"Three openers were supposed to play, so one had to go at No. 3 and the proposal came from Shubman's end as his rationale was that he had played all his cricket for Punjab and India A at either No. 3 or 4 and that's his real slot in longer format is that," Rathour said at a press conference.

Rathour's Trust in Gill's Technical Skills and Temperament

Indian batting coach Vikram Rathour emphasizes that Shubman Gill should not be judged based solely on one innings. Rathour firmly believes that Gill has a promising future in cricket and has enough time ahead of him to showcase his abilities and potential.

"We can't judge him on basis of one innings. He has a lot of time. He has the technique and temperament to play time if required and can also play an attacking game when a move on is needed. He can move the game forward. That is what we need at No. 3 as it can be advantageous," Rathour added.