AUS vs IND: Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border assess Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw as openers ahead of the Test series

Ahead of the 1st Test of the Border-Gavaskar trophy, former cricketers Allan Border and Sunil Gavaskar expressed their thoughts on who should be the opening partner for Mayank Agarwal in Adelaide. Both Gavaskar and Border thought 21 year old Shubman Gill was the suitable option.

Border said, “If I am an Indian selector, I am looking very closely at Gill,”

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“I really think he has got something about him… his technique. I know he is young so he can play some rash shots here and there. But gee, he looks like a seriously good player,” added Border. Gill scored 43 and 65 in two innings respectively in the practice match against Australia A.

Sunil Gavaskar also agreed with Border, “Gill should open the batting with Mayank.” 

The former Australian batsman Allan Border felt Prithvi Shaw is a bit loose outside the off stump in terms of shot selection. He said, “I know you guys are big on Shaw. But it seems to me he plays a shot a ball. Against the new ball, it looks good on flat tracks but in Australia you have got to be a little more watchful with your shot selection. He seems to be a bit loose outside the off-stump.”

Gavaskar concurred with what Allan Border said, also mentioning that Shaw would need to tighten his defence.

“He has to spend a little more time assessing his batting. As an opening batsman, you have to give yourself a little more time to see what the pitch and bowlers are doing. The way he is batting at the moment is not going to make him a very consistent player. Yes, he will score runs once in a while.”

“But he has got to tighten his defence. I agree with AB, he is playing far too many shots at the start of his innings,” added Gavaskar.