Simon Doull, Irfan Pathan Explain How Shubman Gill “Has Gone Back To His U19 Days” To Find Form

Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull and former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan explained how Shubman Gill made subtle changes to his technique to find success at the Test level after going through a lean patch in the home series against England. Gill struck his fourth Test fifty in the India vs New Zealand first Test in Kanpur on Thursday. He put together an unbroken 61-run partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara (15) to take India to 82 for 1 at lunch on Day 1 after stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane opted to bat first. India lost Mayank Agarwal early. He was dismissed for 13 by Kyle Jamieson.

Doull said Gill is not going back across and instead is staying beside the line of the ball to avoid from falling over and becoming an LBW candidate to an in-coming fuller length delivery.

“I think Gill has changed a couple of things. He’s no longer getting back across. He’s staying beside the line of the ball, almost like when he was playing in that U19 World Cup in New Zealand,” Doull said in the post-lunch show on Star Sports.

The former pacer recalled Gill’s early days when he made mark at the U19 level by scores of heaps of runs in the 2018 U19 World Cup.

“I was so impressed with him. He to me was a cut above Prithvi Shaw, I even mentioned it a couple of times. I thought he was the best I have seen at that level. He seems to have gone back that and maybe that is an influence to Rahul Dravid coming into the setup. He knows his game so well from that time.

“He has gone back to his old technique. He is playing along the line of the ball instead of going back and across and now he is reaping the rewards. New Zealand would have had a plan for that back and across movement by targeting his front pad, they almost got there but an inside edge saved him,” Doull added.

Promoted

Gill, who was India’s highest scorer with 372 runs in that U19 World Cup, hit five fours and a six on Thursday against New Zealand. The right-hander did have his share of  luck when an inside edge saved him and then New Zealand did not opt for a review when he was only batting on 6 but he showed an eagerness to score by using his feet, something which impressed Irfan Pathan.

“Shubman Gill is trying to figure out how to counter the technical problems he has against the fuller length deliveries by dancing down the track. I really hope that he gets on to have a very good Test career because I think he can be very vital when India tour abroad. He’s very good off the back foot and has a very good back and across movement,” Pathan said.