Aakash Chopra decodes Shubman Gill’s dismissal: ‘He is feeling slightly obliged…Samson used to score runs at a strike rate of 175’
Indian T20I vice-captain on Tuesday fell after scoring a boundary. He showed attacking intent against Lungi Ngidi by charging down the wicket, but could not get the shot right. It is not how Gill historically has approached his T20 innings, be it for Gujarat Titans or India. He tends to take his time and accelerate as the innings progress. Decoding this new Gill approach, former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra said, because the player who opened before him, which was Sanju Samson, was playing an ultra-aggressive brand of cricket, Gill is trying to emulate that method.
“What is Shubman Gill trying to do? I ask this question because it seems like he doesn’t play like this, but is trying to play like that. Why would he be doing that? It seems like he is too hasty to hit. The way he got out in Cuttack, he hit a four off the first ball, and then he jumped out and hit the next ball,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“What could be the reasons behind that? He is feeling slightly obliged. Sanju Samson was the player who was opening before him. Sanju Samson used to score runs at a strike rate of 175. He scored three centuries as well. Of course, he got out early as well, but has three centuries to his name and a strike rate of 175. You can’t take that away from Sanju Samson,” he added.
Additionally, in recent years, India has been looking to post massive totals around 250-275, which Chopra thinks are adding to the pressure on Gill. “India was also running close to 250-275. He is feeling the pressure of two things. Firstly, because Sanju Samson plays like that, he too should play like that because he has come in his place, and that is always spoken about,” he said.
“Social media must be on fire today as well, although you have to cut him some slack because he was playing his first competitive game since the neck sprain he had at the Eden Gardens. So you can be slightly undercooked. However, social media won’t agree with that,” Chopra observed.
