Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has criticized Shubman Gill for the shot he played that led to his dismissal on Day 2 of the first Test against England in Hyderabad on Friday, January 26. Gavaskar also added that Gill threw his wicket after doing all the hard work. Team India dominated on Day 2 of the Hyderabad Test against England as they went to stumps at 421-7 in their first innings, responding to the visitors’ total of 246 as well.

Meanwhile, slamming Shubman Gill’s shot selection, Gavaskar said during commentary: “What kind of a shot was he looking to play?’ One can understand if he was looking to play it in the air, but it was just a badly executed on drive. He did all the hard work, and, then, played a shot like that.”

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He further added, “I think he is playing a bit too aggressively in Test cricket. There is a slight difference when you play Test cricket compared to T20I and ODI cricket. The difference is in the ball. The red ball moves a little more than the white ball in the air and off the pitch as well. It bounces a little more too. He should keep that in mind.”

Meanwhile, according to another former India spinner Anil Kumble, Gill will have to learn the art of strike rotation to succeed in Test cricket as well. Citing the example of Cheteshwar Pujara and Rahul Dravid, he also advised Shubman Gill to play with soft hands against the spinners.

‘Un par dabaav badhta gaya aur vo strike rotate nahi kar paaye (The pressure kept on growing, and he couldn’t rotate strike). He will have to learn this. If he wants to bat at No 3, especially on Indian tracks where spinners will cause trouble, he will have to rotate strike,’ Kumble told Sports 18. “If he has to slot in that No. 3 role, like Pujara or Dravid, he will have to rotate strike.”