Gill needs to back himself, he’s changed things up too much: Ponting

PTI, Dec 24, 2024, 12:08 PM IST

shubman gill (pti/file)

Melbourne: India top-order batter Shubman Gill has made far too many changes in his batting approach, which is hindering his run-scoring ability on away tours, feels former Australian captain Ricky Pointing, adding that the way out for the young cricketer is to trust his instincts.

Gill missed the opening Test of the Border-Gavasker Trophy in Perth due to a thumb injury he suffered during India’s simulated training game. In the second Test at Adelaide, he failed to convert good starts into big scores as Australia levelled the series 1-1.

The third Test at Brisbane saw him getting out for one in the first innings, putting India in a spot of bother before KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja struck half-centuries to halt the slide.

“I love watching him play. When you’re watching him bat and bat well, he looks as good as anyone in world cricket. But the numbers don’t really stack up, do they, away from home?” Ponting said on ICC Review on Tuesday.

Ponting said he had observed several changes in Gill’s technique during the second Test at Adelaide, which were impeding his ability to score runs.

“I watched him a little bit in Adelaide and it almost looked like he changed things up too much.

“Scott Boland was bowling and he changed his guard, he moved across to the off stump, presented his front pad to Boland, and Boland got him out with a full straight one,” he said.

The Australian legend added that rather than making wholesale changes in his technique, Gill should fall back upon trusting his instincts to improve his batting.

Gill’s composed 91 at the Gabba during the 2021 tour had helped India clinch a historic series win, but since then he has scored just one Test ton away from home — in Bangladesh in 2022.

Gill averages 23.8 across nine Tests in England, Bangladesh, the West Indies, South Africa and Australia but at home he has accumulated 1,177 runs and four centuries across 17 Tests at an average of 42.03.

“If anything, I think he needs to back himself a little bit more, needs to back his defensive technique a little bit more here in Australia and still find a way to be able to score and score quickly,” Ponting said. “I’m sure when he’s at home or when he’s generally scored runs anywhere around the world, he scores them in a nice, attacking mode and almost to the point where he’s not really thinking about getting out — he’s only thinking about scoring runs.” With the Boxing Day Test looming, Ponting said a change of mindset can work wonders for Gill.

“If he goes in with that mindset and that attitude, then things could change here in Melbourne for him.”