India captain Shubman Gill has issued his full backing to Sai Sudharsan ahead of the IND vs WI 2nd Test in Delhi. Sudharsan has come in for criticism after a poor start to his Test career. Gill, who opens with Sudharsan at Gujarat Titans, however has backed the left-hander to come good and has called for patience with the Tamil Nadu star.
Not every match everyone is going to score hundred: Shubman Gill backs Sudharsan
Sai Sudharsan hasn’t put a foot wrong in his IPL career but Test cricket has been a hard learning curve. The 23-year-old averages a mere 21 after 4 Tests and is facing the heat with competition for places in the middle order. Gill however has backed the TN star to play No.3 for a long time.
“I don’t really think he’s had a lean run. He got one innings in the first match [in Ahmedabad]. At The Oval, he played a crucial innings of 40 runs [38] on that wicket where the ball was seaming. The match before that, he scored a fifty [61] in Manchester. Not every match everyone is going to score a hundred,” Gill said in his pre match press conference.
More than his lack of runs, Sudharsan’s technique has come into question. He was dismissed down the legside twice in England, while struggled in his only inning in Ahmedabad. Gill himself was seen working with Sudharsan, advising him on his head position in the nets.
“You have to give young players more opportunities. They are still trying to figure out their game. And we believe that you have to first see someone’s potential and then see their game in the entirety, not just judge someone from one, two, three, four matches. Once you have given someone enough matches – six, seven, eight matches – then you can sit back and have a think over it, where he needs to learn, or if he needs to play some more domestic matches or play some more India A games. But as of now, we think he’s the man for us and he’s someone that can play for India at No. 3 for a very long time,” he added.
The post ‘He can play No.3 for a long time’ Shubman Gill defends Sai Sudharsan form ahead of IND vs WI 2nd test appeared first on Inside Sport India.