Gill has work to do on Test match batting and it won’t be easy as captain: Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting. File
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Shubman Gill has work to do on his Test match batting and considering the added responsibility of captaincy on the upcoming tour of England, he should move himself down to number four in the order, reckons Australian great Ricky Ponting.

There is plenty of speculation over India’s new number four following the retirement of Virat Kohli and Ponting has backed Gill to take up that position at least in the initial stages of his leadership tenure beginning with the five-Test rubber from June 20.

“His white ball form has been incredibly good. He’s got a little bit of work to do, on his Test match batting. And that’s never easy when you’re a new captain, to have to worry about your batting to the degree that he’s going to have to, it won’t be easy for him,” Ponting told PTI on the sidelines of the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he coached Punjab Kings to the final.

The newly appointed Test captain started his career as an opener before moving down to number three last year. Ponting said India have made the right investment in Gill the captain. The two-time ODI World Cup winning skipper sees Gill serving India for a long time.

“I actually named him as captain for the Sydney Test match last summer when Rohit didn’t play that game and there was a bit of an injury cloud over Bumrah, or as that game went on, Bumrah actually broke down in that game.”

“And look, I don’t know Shubman that well. I’ve spoken to him six, eight, 10 times, maybe the last couple of years around different things and around batting and around leadership. He’s done a great job with GT [Gujarat Titans] , no doubt about that,” he said.

“But he just seemed the sort of guy that the extra responsibility wouldn’t faze too much. It seems like he’s got a really level head on his shoulders. He’s someone that’s going to be around in Indian cricket for another 10 years.”

Gill needs to work on defence, mindset

In his 32-Test career, Gill has been found guilty of playing with hard hands on multiple occasions. His defensive technique too has been questioned.

Ponting feels Gill also has work to do on the mental side of Test match batting.

“…it’s a bit both, there’s some of the great Test players that haven’t had great defensive games, (Virender) Sehwag is probably a great example of that.“

“But if you’re in control of your stroke-play, you don’t have to worry too much about your defence. I mean, obviously it’s (defence) a big part of Test match cricket, but I think it’s more his mental application,” he explained.

Ponting said he sees no technical fault in Gill’s defence.

“[But] I think sometimes you might just get a little bit either ahead of himself or a little bit lazy in the middle of a test match innings. You can’t afford to do that. You’ve got to be 100 per cent committed to every ball that you face through six or seven hours of every day…

“I think that’s the challenge for Shubman…,” said Ponting.

Why number four for Gill

Ponting has picked Gill at number four for the first at Leeds for a set of reasons.

“…the reason I did that was if they go with [Yashasvi] Jaiswal, and if Sai Sudarshan is the other opener, they need someone a bit more experienced at number three. So that could be either, KL at three, or that could be a Karun Nair at three and Shubman at four.

“…once you grow into it, then you can move yourself back up to that number three spot,” said one of the finest batters of his generation.

Right time for Sudharsan to make Test debut

The reason Ponting won’t have Rahul open with Jaiswal is because he wants Sudharsan to get his opportunity at the top of the order. The southpaw has been rated highly and has been in sensational touch of late.

“I think the time’s right for Sudarshan to come into the side, to be honest. There’s a bit of a regeneration that’s going to happen around this Indian team now, obviously with Rohit and Virat not there.

“Every team goes through that…seems to me like Sudarshan’s ready. Lots of first class runs, his IPL form this year has been probably better than anybody else,” he pointed out about the Orange Cap winner of the just-concluded season.

“Technically, seems fine. And, you know, KL down in the middle order somewhere probably just gives that bit more stability.”