'He looked like he belonged to international cricket' - Glenn McGrath praises Shubman Gill

Team India took the field for the ongoing Boxing Day Test with two debutants in the form of Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj. Gill replaced Prithvi Shaw in the team after the latter failed to perform well in the first Test. Shaw was dropped after registering scores of 0 and 4 during the humiliating 8-wicket loss in Adelaide.

Siraj, on the other hand, got a chance in the playing eleven due to Mohammed Siraj’s wrist injury that has ruled him out of the entire series. And both the debutants managed to impress on the very first day of the Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Siraj was the first to showcase his skills after Australia won the toss and elected to bat first.

The right-arm pacer picked up two crucial wickets to help the visitors bowl out the hosts for a modest 195. Siraj first sent back a well-set Marnus Labuschagne for 48. He then came up with a brilliant plan to account for Cameron Green. Towards the end of the day, Gill got a chance to impress too, and just like Siraj, he delivered too.

Also Read: Australia vs India: Mohammed Siraj executes his plan to perfection trapping Cameron Green in front of the stumps

India were off to a poor start with the bat as opener Mayank Agarwal was out for a duck. However, Gill was quick to absorb the pressure and ensured that India remains on the front foot. He played some stunning shots and ended the day unbeaten on 28 off 38 balls. His impressive short knock was studded with five fours.

Glenn McGrath praises Shubman Gill

While Shubman Gill has played just 38 balls in Test cricket so far, legendary pacer Glenn McGrath is convinced that the youngster belongs to the highest stage of the game. The former Australia pacer was all praise for Gill as he recalled how the batsman impressed him with his batting display during the Sydney ODI last month.

“When I saw him the other day in the ODI, I thought he had a good technique, he looked like he belonged to international cricket,” McGrath said on Sony Sports.

“It was a pretty tough introduction to Test cricket there with the way Starc and Cummins were bowling, they (the batsmen) were playing and missing, there was that one edge that Labuschagne put down, but apart from that he looked pretty solid,” he added.