Ian Bishop points out a ‘technical glitch’ in Shubman Gill’s batting technique

Shubman Gill got his maiden opportunity in Tests cricket after Prithvi Shaw flattered to deceive in the Day-Night Adelaide Test. The 21-year-old donned the Indian whites for the first time at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and he captured the imaginations of the fans and experts. In three Tests, the Fazilka-born managed 259 runs at an impressive average of 51.80.

The fact he scored two half-centuries with a top score of 91 showed the ease he was at in tough batting conditions in Australia. In the meantime, former West Indies fast bowler Ian Bishop reckons that Shubman has a ‘technical glitch’ which the bowlers could cash in on in the future.

Bishop, who’s also a renowned commentator, said that Gill is a leg-side dominant batsman, making him a tad vulnerable on the off-side. The veteran compared Shubman’s technique to that of the Virender Sehwag, another former Indian batter, who’s known for playing attacking cricket.

Bishop analyses Shubman Gill’s batting

“He does have a glitch in technique which I was concerned about. He plays often from the leg stump, or leg side of the ball, which encourages seamers to challenge him around the fourth or fifth stump and bring the outside edge into play,” Bishop told.

“Much in a way like Virender Sehwag used to do and he wasn’t too bad a player. In his final innings at Brisbane, he came across his stumps more at times and didn’t let his hands and bat stray too far from his body where he lost control of his stroke outside his eye line.

“So, he seems aware of it and is prepared to adapt. If he can achieve that, he will be able to continue to score under almost all conditions,” he stated.

Bishop, who picked 279 wickets from 127 matches in his 10-year long international career, was impressed with Gill’s ability to take on the short balls without any inhibitions.

“In Australia, on those slightly bouncier pitches, Gill’s ability to play back and forward appropriately, to take on the short ball with aplomb, as a subcontinental player is the hallmark of the new generation of batsmen,” Bishop added.

Gill’s performances made sure that Mayank Agarwal lost his opening spot and was pushed down to the middle-order. In the last two Tests in Sydney and Brisbane, the youngster opened the batting with Rohit Sharma.