Australia great Ricky Ponting believes the Indian opener Shubman Gill's overseas record is not as strong as his performances at home, but the ex-Aussie skipper feels the right-hander can improve his fortunes in Australia with minor changes to his approach.
Gill averages 23.8 across nine Tests in England, Bangladesh, West Indies, South Africa and Australia. In the same period, he has amassed 1177 runs and made four hundreds in 17 Tests at home, averaging 42.03.
"I love watching him play. When you're watching him bat and bat well, he looks as good as anyone in world cricket. But the numbers don't really stack up, do they, away from home?" Ponting said on The ICC Review.
Since his composed 91 at the Gabba during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2021, which helped India win the series for the first time in history on Australian soil, Gill has scored only one Test hundred outside India, which was during the 2022 Bangladeshi tour.
Gill has been back since injury ruled him out of the series-opener in Perth. However, he managed just 31 and 28 at Adelaide and one run in Brisbane. The opener could be overthinking things, said Ponting.
"I saw him a little bit in Adelaide and it almost looked like he changed things up too much. Scott Boland was bowling and he changed his guard, he moved across to the off stump, presented his front pad to Boland, and Boland got him out with a full straight one," Ponting pointed out.
However, instead of making any significant changes, Ponting said Gill could improve his returns by trusting his instincts.
"If anything, I think he needs to back himself a little bit more, needs to back his defensive technique a little bit more here in Australia and still find a way to be able to score and score quickly.".
"I am sure when he is back home or when he generally scores runs anywhere in the world, he scores them in a good, attacking mode and almost to the point where he is not really thinking about getting out-he is only thinking about scoring runs. If he goes in with that mindset and that attitude, then things might just start changing here in Melbourne for him," he said.
The fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will start on Boxing Day, with India hoping to win to stay in contention for a qualification to the World Test Championship final.
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