Former Team India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has made a bold statement on vice-captain Shubman Gill ahead of the third T20I match against Australia. The cricketer-turned-commentator said Gill needed to convert his starts into big scores, especially with Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting for an opportunity in the format.
India were bowled out for just 125 runs in 18.4 overs in the second T20I match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on Friday, October 31. Gill scored just five runs from 10 deliveries before being dismissed. Australia comfortably chased down the target in 13.2 overs to seal a four-wicket victory.
Shubman Gill didn’t even score a total of 200 runs – Irfan Pathan
In a video on his YouTube channel, Irfan Pathan said Shubman Gill will have to justify the support he continues to receive from the team management. Pathan pointed out that Gill has failed to score even 200 runs in his last 10 innings, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is waiting for an opportunity.
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“In his last ten innings, he hasn’t even scored a total of 200 runs, so the pressure will be on him. He is getting opportunities, he is getting support, but he has to convert those chances into performances, which hasn’t happened yet,” Pathan said.
“You have Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting on the bench, an outstanding T20 player who we have seen in the IPL, batting at around 160. If a player like that stays out while Shubman Gill continues to get regular chances and still can’t make them count, then the pressure will pile on him and the team. That is something the management needs to pay attention to,” he added.
Shubman Gill must score consistently – Irfan Pathan
The 41-year-old said Gill’s failures could open the door for Yashasvi Jaiswal. He said Jaiswal’s talent cannot be ignored, adding that the youngster has the potential to score double hundreds in ODIs and centuries in T20Is.
“Shubman Gill needs to score consistently, that is very important. Otherwise, Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is not playing ODI or T20 cricket for India at the moment, is such a talented player that he is capable of doing wonders,” Pathan continued.
“He can even score double hundreds in ODIs, that’s how good he is. And in T20, he has the ability to score a hundred. So having a player like him out is something that the Indian team needs to pay close attention to.”
Statistics of Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal in T20Is
Shubman Gill made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in early 2023. After being out of the team for several months, he was brought back ahead of the Asia Cup and made deputy to Suryakumar Yadav.
However, his return was disappointing. He scored 169 runs in nine matches at an average of 24.14 and a strike rate of 148.25. In total, Gill played 30 T20Is, scoring 747 runs at 28.73 with a strike rate of 141.20, including three half-centuries and a century.
Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal was not included in the squad for the Australia tour despite having an impressive T20I record. The attacking southpaw scored 723 runs in 23 matches at an average of 36.15 and a strike rate of 164.31, including five half-centuries and a century.
With India trailing 0-1 in the series after the Melbourne defeat, the team needs to win the third T20I to keep the series alive. The series opener was abandoned due to rain.
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