India was expected to open the innings with Shubman Gill in the second T20I against New Zealand at the Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. However, Gill was not included in the team’s playing XI as Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant opened the innings for the team.
Both the left-handers looked rusty and failed to time the ball. On the other hand, Shubman Gill had received his maiden T20I call-up after performing consistently for Punjab in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Gill had scored 260 runs in six matches for Punjab at an average of 52 and a strike rate of 156.63.
Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra believes it is a big statement as the team didn’t even play Shubman Gill.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “The XI that was played gives a slight peep into India’s future, that what they are trying to do. Of course, Hardik Pandya is the captain here and the team went with Ishan Kishan and Rishabh Pant as the openers, which means Shubman Gill not an opener. It is a big statement in my opinion.”
Meanwhile, Gill is not for his explosive batting in the T20I format. The 23-year-old has a strike rate of 125.25 in the IPL and Chopra feels Gill doesn’t fit the bill in India’s T20I set-up.
“Shubman Gill is a three-format player, he plays in a proper fashion. In my opinion, if India are searching for a new template, Shubman Gill does not fit into that at this point in time. We have better explosive players than him.”
On the other hand, Suryakumar Yadav batted at number three for the team and scored a fine knock of 111 runs. Chopra feels it was a statement that India wants the most dangerous batter to face more more deliveries.
“Surya coming in at No. 3 was another statement that you want your most dangerous batter to play as many deliveries as possible. So that was a big tick mark. When you played Deepak Hooda and Washington Sundar along with him, you didn’t think at all that what will happen to your batting at No. 8.”
Yuzvendra Chahal also got a game after not playing in the T20 World Cup. The leg-spinner scalped two wickets and bowled a fine spell.
“In the entire World Cup and Asia Cup, we were told that we need a batter at No. 8, and that is why you couldn’t play Yuzi Chahal. Here you went with four bowlers and didn’t think about the batting at No. 8. You thought that you will pick bowlers who can pick up wickets.”
The third T20I will be played on Tuesday in Napier.
