Last Updated:
Gill played three Tests for India in the recently concluded five-match series against Australia but was only able to score 93 runs in five innings.
Shubman Gill was only able to score 93 runs in three Tests of the recently-concluded series against Australia. (Picture Credit: AP)
Former Indian opening batter Kris Srikkanth, who also served as India captain and chief selector in the past, slammed Shubman Gill for his flop show in the recently concluded five-match Test series between India and Australia. Gill, who made his Test debut for India during the 2020 Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground, played three matches in the 2024-25 edition of Border-Gavaskar as a No. 3 batter but could only manage to score 93 runs.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth, who won the Player of the Series award in the 1985-87 India-Australia Test series, called Gill an overrated cricketer.
“I’ve always maintained that Shubman Gill is an overrated cricketer, but nobody listened to me. He is a highly overrated cricketer,” he said.
The member of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team questioned the 25-year-old right-handed batter’s selection in India’s playing XI and asked why Gill is getting a long rope.
“When Gill is getting this much of a long rope, some people might wonder whether even players like Suryakumar Yadav could have been given a longer rope in Tests,” he said.
“Suryakumar didn’t have a very good start in Tests, but he has the technique, and he has the ability. But the selectors and the management have now boxed him into a white-ball specialist. So that means you have to look at fresh talent,” he added.
According to Srikkanth, players like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sai Sudharsan, who are doing well in first-class cricket, should be promoted now.
“Ruturaj Gaikwad, for example, has been doing wonderfully in first-class cricket. But they’ve not bothered to pick him. Meanwhile, someone like Sai Sudharsan has been lighting it up in ‘A’ tours. You have to promote these kinds of talents. Instead they are running around in circles by picking Gill.”
“Gill is right now surviving because he gets ten chances and scores on the tenth chance after nine failures. And because of that, he is getting another ten chances to succeed. Anyone and everyone can amass runs on Indian wickets. The challenge is scoring away from home in SENA countries, and that’s where players like KL Rahul pass the test,” he added.
