IND vs SL: Venkatesh Prasad slams Rohit Sharma's decision to field Shubman Gill ahead of Ishan Kishan in ODI series

Former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad slammed captain Rohit Sharma's decision to field Shubman Gill ahead of Ishan Kishan as opener in the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, starting from Tuesday.

Prasad, who had recently applied for the post of national selector, believes that the rising India wicketkeeper-batter should have given a chance at the back of his double century in the ODI against Bangladesh in Chattogram. 

"Think fair would have been to give chance to a man who scored a double hundred in India's last ODI, and in a series where India lost two games and the series. Have all the time in the world for Gill, but no way you drop a player for scoring a double ton. And if one is convinced to play Gill, then can have him bat at 3 and let Ishan keep wickets instead of KL Rahul," Prasad tweeted. 

Think fair would have been to give chance to a man who scored a double hundred in India’s last ODI, and in a series where India lost two games and the series.
Have all the time in the world for Gill, but no way you drop a player for scoring a double ton. https://t.co/LbzKKH8ynw

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) January 9, 2023

Rohit Sharma believes Shubman Gill deserves a fair run

Rohit believes that the Punjab batter deserves a fair chance due to his penchant for runs. The veteran India opener, however, acknowledged the double century effort from Kishan but highlighted that it was a fair assessment from his side. 

“Both openers (Gill and Kishan) have done really well. But looking at how both have gone through, I think it is fair that we give Gill a chance to have a fair run because in the last games Gill got a lot of runs as well. I am not going to take anything from Ishan. He has been wonderful for us. He got a double hundred and I know what it takes to get a double hundred, it is a great achievement. But just to be honest and be fair to the guys, who have done really well before that we need to give those guys enough chances as well,” Rohit said at the press conference. 

Gill has featured in 15 ODI matches for Team India and holds an average of 57.25 while his compatriot Kishan has accumulated 477 runs in 10 matches at an average of 53.