Shubman Gill's father Lakhwinder Singh Gill isn't happy with his son's decision to bat at the no.3 position relinquishing opening spot in Test matches. After a challenging start against England, where Shubman Gill couldn't score a half-century in a span of 12 innings and deviated from his natural aggressive playing style, marred by a tendency to play with stiff hands, he opted for the number three slot. This decision, which saw Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal take up the opening duties for India, has not sat well with his father.
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Nonetheless, Shubman managed to silence his critics by crafting his first Test century during the second innings of the Vizag Test. This milestone was particularly noteworthy as it marked his adaptation and success in the No.3 position, a change from his usual opening spot. Shubman brought his second century in the series which came on Day 2 of the ongoing Test against England, where he cracked a phenomenal 110 off 150 balls alongside Rohit, who too notched up a brilliant hundred to help India get past 400-run mark.
Meanwhile, witnessing his son's second century of the series, which was clinched with a slog sweep, Lakhwinder pointed out the adjustments that have seen Shubman enhance his game in the longer format.
He stopped stepping out which has created pressure: Shubman Gill's father
"Stepping out has made a big difference, he had stopped doing that and that created pressure. Since his U-16 days, he has been stepping out to the spinners and pacers as well to cut the movement," Lakhwinder told PTI.
"The moment you don't play your natural game you are in trouble. The whole game is about confidence, when you get one good innings you are back to your best. Since his U-16 days, he used to make tons of runs," he added.
On Day 2 of the fifth Test against England, Gill aggressively approached the game, confronting both spin and pace bowlers, notably the renowned James Anderson. During the initial hour of the match, Gill showcased his exceptional skill, advancing two steps and lofting Anderson for a six straight down the wicket with a perfectly straight bat. Lakhwinder takes pleasure in seeing his son execute the square cut and cover drive, both of which were demonstrated at the HPCA Stadium.
Lakhwinder wanted Shubman to keep the opening slot
"He should have continued to open. It is not right at all I feel. When you sit in dressing room for longer, the pressure tense to increase. Number 3 is not opening neither it is a middle-order spot. Plus his game his not like that, it suits the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara who has a defensive game. When the ball is new you get more loose balls, when you come in after 5-7 overs, the ball is still shiny and the bowler is also settled with his length," Gill's father further said.
Nonetheless, he is a father filled with pride and holds respect for the choices made by his mature son.
"I don't interfere in his decisions. I just train with him. He is old enough to make his own decisions. I made decisions on his behalf only when he was a teenager," he said.
He also praised the BCCI for requiring Indian players to participate in Ranji Trophy matches whenever they are not engaged in international commitments.
"The calendar is so busy that he hardly trains for red ball, it is white ball mainly. That is why it gets tougher against spinners with the red ball. It is good that BCCI has taken this step," Lakhwinder concluded.
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