Gavaskar’s Take on Shubman Gill’s Omission in 4th Test Against Australia
Former Indian cricketer and now commentator, Sunil Gavaskar, has expressed his disappointment over the decision to drop Shubman Gill for the ongoing fourth Test match against Australia. The Indian team opted to include all-rounder Washington Sundar in the playing XI for this match in Melbourne, which resulted in Gill not being part of the lineup. Due to this decision, Gill would have had to bat lower in the order as captain Rohit Sharma chose to open the innings himself and moved KL Rahul to the third spot.
Unfortunately, this strategy did not pay off, as Rohit could only manage a score of 3 runs before being caught by Pat Cummins. Rahul fared slightly better but was dismissed for 24 runs just before tea. Gavaskar, commentating on the team’s selection, expressed his confusion over dropping Gill, especially since the batting unit has struggled throughout the series.
In a conversation, he pointed out that India went into the match with only five regular batsmen. He noted, “Dropping Shubman Gill when the batting is underperforming does not help. Keeping the situation in mind, the team needed six specialist batsmen, especially when your batting has struggled. Adding all-rounders like Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar without proper batting depth leaves you at a disadvantage.”
He further stated that accommodating Rohit in the opening position disrupted the overall balance of the team. Gavaskar highlighted that Rohit Sharma’s upcoming innings could play a crucial role in deciding his future in the Test squad, given his recent form.
Rohit’s Current Struggles in Test Cricket
Rohit Sharma finds himself in a tough phase, having scored just 155 runs in his last eight Test matches since September 2024, averaging a mere 11.07 with only one half-century to show. Earlier this year, he had a strong run against England, accumulating 400 runs in five Tests with two centuries and one fifty. Now, however, the spotlight is on him to turn his performance around or face calls for his retirement from the longest format of the game.
Gavaskar concluded that the team’s selection and Rohit’s form are interconnected issues that need to be addressed for India’s success in the ongoing series against Australia.
