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Cricket commentator and former India player Aakash Chopra has said Shubman Gill has "a slight technical deficiency in his batting" and while this approach may suit flat pitches and white ball cricket, "it does not work in Test cricket".
Gill, 24 has played 19 Test matches since making his debut in 2020 against Australia in Melbourne.
He has scored 994 runs in 35 innings at an average of 31.06. However, his statistics suggest his struggle against red-ball giants like New Zealand, England and now South Africa. In 5 matches, Gill has scored just 140 runs at an average of 17.50. Against the Kiwis, he has amassed 180 runs in three matches and has an average of 30.
'Gill was impressive in the series against Australia when India toured, and looked like a player for the future. He's batted well in ODIs which is his favourite format and done modestly in T20s. But in Tests, against England, New Zealand, South Africa and West Indies, I don't think he has performed well. So, there is a question mark,' Chopra said on JioCinema's daily sports show '#AAKASHVANI'
'He started off as an opener. Then he batted at No 3. Eventually, he wants to bat at No. 4 is what I feel. But he needs to start scoring runs. There's a slight technical deficiency in his batting, too. He's a player who likes to play mostly with his hands and does not rely mainly on his feet. So, this approach may suit flat pitches and white ball cricket. But that does not work in Test cricket,' Chopra added.
India suffered a defeat by an innings and 32 runs in the first Test of the two-match series against South Africa.
The second Test will start on January 3 at the Newlands Cricket Ground in Cape Town.