Former selector Gagan Khoda has shared his displeasure over India’s playing XI for the inaugural edition of the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand. He also opened up about the young opener Shubman Gill who was added to the 15-member squad, before the players like Mayank Agarwal and KL Rahul.

However, the Punjab player, who made his Test debut last year in Australia, left a mark in his debut series as well. He tried his best in the next series against England too but failed to maintain his form in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship as well. While speaking in an interview with Sportskeeda, Gagan Khoda has said that Shubman Gill is a middle-order batsman and he is ‘not an opener’ and he should play in the middle order as well.

“It was not meant to be like this. Shubman Gill isn’t an opener. He is like VVS Laxman, he should bat in the middle-order. India should have picked Mayank Agarwal, who had only two bad Test matches. Even Prithvi Shaw was shown the door after just one failure in Australia,” Khoda was quoted as saying.

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He also opened up on the performance of the all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, where he stated that the left-arm spinner shouldn’t be there and the Team India could have selected someone like an all-rounder of Shardul Thakur in the playing XI as well.

“India could have taken an extra batsman or a fast bowler who can bat. Someone like Shardul Thakur could have done the trick,” Khoda said.

Meanwhile, India have lost to New Zealand in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC). While many Indian players failed to perform well, it was Cheteshwar Pujara whose poor form came under the scanner. And, South Africa fast bowler Dale Steyn has shared where he has been lacking.

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“Out of my memory, I just remember Pujara playing great off his legs. Very, very good off his legs, and eyes underneath the ball. But I do remember him playing some magical cut shots and backfoot drives. Maybe on pitches that a little bit quicker – and Indian wickets are not quick – he played some beautiful balls underneath his eyes through the cover. It’s a part of the game that I feel he has lost,” Dale Steyn said on ESPNCricinfo.