Former India opener Wasim Jaffer believes Shubman Gill must alter his game and show some improvement if he wishes to bat for long at number three in the Test team, especially when playing on slow and low conditions.
Gill volunteered to bat at number three for the ongoing Test series against West Indies, but hasn’t quite hit the straps at a position whose previous occupants were Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara. In the Dominica Test, Gill's first innings at number three yielded only six runs. In the first innings of the ongoing Test at Port of Spain, he could make only ten runs.
“Away from India in SENA countries, he’s a good choice as number three. But in slow and low conditions, he has to alter his game and improve on it. We have seen this in this series against West Indies, that he likes to play the ball on the rise. If you see the innings of Virat Kohli, he has respected the conditions.”
“Gill would have liked to go out and score runs, but respecting the conditions is something Shubman has to learn and understand. With time, he will surely do it, but in away conditions like South Africa and Australia, he will enjoy batting at number three, where the ball comes on to the bat at a faster pace. But when it doesn’t happen, that’s where he has to adapt and change his game a little bit,” said Jaffer, an expert for JioCinema, in a select virtual media interaction.
For long, Gill has been projected as the future leader of the Indian batting order across formats. It was anticipated for some time that he would be batting at number three or in the middle-order in Tests whenever the transition period in the side is initiated. Jaffer felt a stroke-player like Gill has to tighten his game whenever India plays in conditions where there isn’t much pace to offer.
“First of all, it’s his personal choice. He sees it as that spot being empty and wants to bat there. Looking at the bigger picture, he wants to bat there for a longer period. But the start hasn’t been the way he wanted. In the last game, he got out to a good ball which spun from the front. But I was a little bit disappointed on how he got out in this match (at Trinidad) as he had a good chance to bat on a wicket which was good to bat on.”
“He got a good start and I felt he played a little loose. He will obviously be disappointed with that dismissal and that’s where he needs to tighten up as he likes for the ball to come on to the bat. He’s playing white-ball cricket a lot and has gotten used to hitting on the rise.”
“He wants that pace on the ball, which he gets at white-ball cricket. But in red-ball cricket, on wickets like this, especially when playing in India, you cannot easily play on the rise. He needs to understand and improve his game for those conditions. When the ball comes on, he will be fine and we saw that when he played in Australia. So, he needs to tighten up that part of his game,” he elaborated.
Jaffer opined that batting at number three shouldn’t be challenging for Gill, barring the need to wait for a while for one’s turn to come out to bat when the openers pile on big runs. “I feel he’s confident in himself of batting at number three, which is his choice. I don’t think there’s much difference as an opener might get out in first/second over and he will be acting as an opener anyway.”
“Batting at one, two and three positions doesn’t make much of a difference; the only difference is when openers have a big partnership and you have to sit for two-three hours, which makes it a little bit difficult. Other than that, I don’t see much difference.”
With the onus now on Gill to try and make the most of batting at number three in Tests, Jaffer reckons Pujara’s comeback in the side will be a difficult task, citing youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and possible return of Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant after recovering from respective injuries.
“As far as Pujara is concerned, things will become difficult for him. Going forward, there will be some difficulties for him and you have to look towards new guys as well in the World Test Championship cycle. Like, Shreyas Iyer will return and after some time, Rishabh Pant will be back.”
“On the other hand, Yashasvi Jaiswal is succeeding and Shubman Gill is someone who will play for long in all three formats. Keeping all of this in mind, it will be difficult for Cheteshwar Pujara to make a comeback into the national team,” he concluded.
Bit surprised by Umran Malik’s selection as he’s conceded a lot of runs in IPL, T20Is: Wasim Jaffer
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer said he was surprised at the selection of fast bowler Umran Malik for the T20I series against West Indies in August, citing him leaking runs in the matches he’s played in the shortest format as well as in the IPL.In eight T20Is, Malik has played since his debut, he has picked 11 wickets at an economy rate of 10.48. Malik is also included in India’s squad for the ODI series against West Indies, where he’s picked 13 wickets in eight games at an economy rate of 6.45. In IPL 2023, Malik played only seven matches, picking five wickets at an economy rate of 10.35.
“I am a bit surprised by Umran Malik’s selection because we have seen him concede a lot of runs in IPL and T20Is. I think he is more suited to Test or ODI cricket. He needs to learn the art of T20 cricket. I don’t think he is ready for it. He is selected despite being dropped in some games for the IPL (this year) as he was expensive in those games,” said Jaffer, an expert for JioCinema, in a select virtual media interaction.
He further expressed surprise over selection of pacer Avesh Khan and was delighted over the return of leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi. “Also, Avesh Khan hasn’t done much to force selection. But I understand he has the potential and has played for India before, so I wish him to do well. But the bowling department (for the T20Is) could have been a bit better. Good to see Ravi Bishnoi back too as he was completely nowhere after last year’s Asia Cup, but did well in the IPL.”
For the T20Is against West Indies, India have picked Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma, two left-handed batters who did exceedingly well in IPL 2023. With the Men’s T20 World Cup happening in 2024, the inclusion of Jaiswal and Varma adds an element of modernity in India’s batting order.
Jaffer believes that the batting department looks good for T20Is against West Indies, while adding that wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma can be India’s ideal finisher in T20Is. “I think it’s a good squad. In batting, we look better and need to play explosive and fearless games, something which England has been doing. All those talks did happen when Rinku Singh wasn’t included.”
“But I feel that Jitesh Sharma will be the guy who can be the answer to the number five, six slot where Rishabh Pant was previously playing. We need an explosive player there in that finishing role. I understand that for those two guys, the spots aren’t there right now. Other than that, we look good as a batting side.”
In his time with Vidarbha in domestic cricket, Jaffer has seen Jitesh’s transformation from being picked by Mumbai Indians as an opener to being lost in wilderness, before becoming the designated finisher for his state in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and carrying on the same role for Punjab Kings in last two seasons of the IPL.
"He now bats at a different position and I think he has got the temperament. We have seen how destructive he is. I feel he is not just a finisher. He is a quality player who can bat from number four to six/seven. He can hit sixes so easily and is an asset to any side."
"I feel how the way the game is going forward, you need those kinds of players who can change the complexion of the game very quickly, and Jitesh Sharma is one of those very important players," added Jaffer, who worked as Punjab Kings batting coach in IPL 2023."
He also feels that Jitesh can come good in ODI cricket. "He has got that technique and is a very good wicketkeeper; he’s one of those good keepers who you will find in the country. The challenge for him going forward is to not just play a 20-ball 40 kind of innings."
"In Punjab Kings, we tried to send him to number four or five because if he gets a lot more balls to face, he can also score 70-80. That was the plan as someone like him will be an asset for the Indian team going forward."
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