Graeme Smith has given his pick for the opener’s slot for the Indian Test team and decided to give KL Rahul the nod instead of Shubman Gill. Smith said that Gill will only get better as he plays more Test matches.
Smith has decided to opt for Rahul instead of Gill (Courtesy: AFP)
By India Today Web Desk: Graeme Smith has revealed his pick for the opener’s slot for India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and decided to give KL Rahul the nod over Shubman Gill.
Ahead of the first Test in Nagpur against Australia, there has been a lot of debate about a couple of spots in the Indian team lineup with the opener’s slot being one of them.
Gill has been in top form for India in recent times, with Rahul struggling in his previous assignment in Bangladesh, where he was also the captain of the team.
In an interaction with the Times Of India, Smith decided to pick the experienced batter over the 23-year-old, saying that it is tough to ignore Rahul.
“That’s the problem in India. You have so much talent. How can you ignore KL Rahul? It’s not an easy call,” said Smith.
The former South Africa skipper said that Gill has the talent and ability to succeed and will only get better as he will play more Test matches in the coming years.
“Gill definitely has got the talent and the ability. But for a player to develop, it’s often about figuring out your strengths and weaknesses. As an opening batter in Test cricket, you probably need a slightly better defensive game and work on how you leave deliveries and be aware of the channels you want to play your shots.”
“Gill is too good a player not to be successful. I feel as he plays more Test matches, gains experience and learns about the longer version of the game, he will mature,” said Smith.
Former selector MSK Prasad said that Gill shouldn’t be asked to bat down the order and he doesn’t mind seeing Rahul at No.5 in the lineup.
“I would not mind seeing KL Rahul at No. 5 in Tests. I don’t think Gill should be asked to come down the order. Rahul has played well in 50-over cricket and I see no reason why he shouldn’t come down the order,” MSK Prasad told the news agency PTI.
Published On:
Feb 8, 2023