India’s top-order batters have struggled to make a mark in recent Test series, with only a few players standing out. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were among the few positives in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. However, the much-hyped Shubman Gill, seen as the future leader of India’s batting lineup, had a disappointing series.
Despite being rated highly early in his career, Gill’s performance in the three matches he played was underwhelming. He scored just 93 runs, with an average of 18.60, a far cry from the expectations placed on him. With senior batters like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also struggling, the pressure on Gill to step up was immense. Unfortunately, he failed to rise to the occasion.
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Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth did not hold back in his criticism of Gill, labelling him as an overrated cricketer and questioning the selectors’ decision to continue backing him despite his lacklustre performances. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth said, “I’ve always maintained that Shubman Gill is an overrated cricketer, but nobody listened to me. He is a highly overrated cricketer.”
Srikkanth also drew a comparison to Suryakumar Yadav, who, despite a tough start in Tests, showed promise with his technique. He suggested that if Gill was being given so many opportunities, perhaps players like Yadav should have been given more chances too. “Suryakumar didn’t have a very good start in Tests, but he has the technique and ability. Yet, he’s now boxed into a white-ball specialist role,” Srikkanth remarked.
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Additionally, Srikkanth advocated for fresh talent like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sai Sudharsan, who have impressed in first-class cricket and ‘A’ tours. “Ruturaj Gaikwad has been doing wonderfully in first-class cricket. But they’ve not bothered to pick him. Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan has been lighting it up in ‘A’ tours. You have to promote these kinds of talents,” he emphasized, suggesting that the selectors focus on emerging players rather than continuing to pick Gill.
