India coach Rahul Dravid has come to the defense of Shubman Gill, who has been experiencing a dip in form during the ongoing West Indies tour in 2023. Despite his recent struggles, Dravid remains confident in Gill’s abilities and emphasized his importance across all three formats of the game for India.
At the beginning of the year, Shubman Gill was in outstanding form, displaying exceptional performances with centuries in all formats, including a double hundred in ODIs. His brilliance extended into the IPL 2023 season, where he secured the prestigious Orange Cap for scoring the most runs in the tournament, accumulating a remarkable 890 runs in 17 matches. This impressive showing solidified his status as a key player for India in all formats of the game.
However, in the current West Indies tour, Gill has encountered challenges and hasn’t been able to replicate his earlier successes. In a recent ODI match against the West Indies, he got off to a decent start, scoring 34 runs, but failed to capitalize on it as the Indian batting lineup faltered, leading to a defeat.
Addressing concerns about Gill’s form, Rahul Dravid expressed that he is not overly worried. The coach defended the young batsman, stating that it’s unfair to criticize players after every single game. He believes that Gill has been batting beautifully and playing well, despite the difficult batting conditions in the Caribbean. Dravid acknowledged that grinding it out and fighting through tough phases is essential, something the team may not have done effectively during the middle overs of the match. Nevertheless, Dravid reassured that Gill holds immense value in all three formats of the game for India.
Dravid emphasized Gill’s significance in the team and expressed hope that the young star will bounce back with a strong performance in the upcoming match in Trinidad. He emphasized that cricket is a game where even the best players can have off-days, and it’s essential to support them during challenging periods.
Rahul Dravid has defended Shubman Gill amid his recent indifferent form during the West Indies tour. He believes that Gill’s past performances and overall skills make him an integral part of the Indian team across all three formats of the game. Dravid remains optimistic that Gill will regain his rhythm and contribute significantly to the team’s success in future matches.