After becoming India’s No.3 batter in Test cricket, Shubman Gill has struggled for form in the ongoing tour of the Caribbean. In the second ODI against the West Indies, Gill scored 34 off 49 balls, while his opening partner Ishan Kishan smashed a quick-fire half-century.
Head coach Rahul Dravid has downplayed concerns about Gill’s recent form, saying that the 23-year-old is an important part of the Indian team across all formats. “I won’t worry so much about Shubman. He is batting really well, he looks really good. It can happen, you can’t criticise people after every single game,” Rahul Dravid said.
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Shubman Gill has averaged 61.45 in 26 ODIs, but he has not scored a century since his 106 against West Indies in 2019. He will be hoping to find his form in the third and final ODI of the series, which will be played on Tuesday. While Gill has struggled, Kishan has been in good form in the Caribbean. He has scored two half-centuries in the last three ODIs, and he is now averaging 50.00 in the series.
Dravid is pleased with Kishan’s progress, saying that the young opener is “taking the opportunities when he is given the chance.” India will hope that Gill and Kishan can form a strong opening partnership in the future. If they can do so, it will give the team a great platform to build on in the years to come.
India lost the second ODI to the West Indies by 4 wickets, but they will be hoping to bounce back in the third and final match of the series. The match will be played on Tuesday at the Brian Lara Stadium in Trinidad.
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India will be without captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for the third ODI, but they will still have a strong team. Shikhar Dhawan is expected to open the batting with Kishan, while Shreyas Iyer will bat at No.3. The West Indies will be confident after their win in the second ODI, but India will be determined to win the series. The match is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM IST.