Team India’s batting line-up has been under the scanner since they lost to New Zealand 3-0 at home. It hasn’t improved in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well with the team getting out for less than 200 thrice in five innings so far. Senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have received bashing right, left, and center for not performing to thier potential. Amidst that, perhaps, Shubman Gill’s poor show away from home is getting ignored.
India’s number three has been extremely poor while playing away from home, especially in challenging conditions (SENA countries). Gill has so far played 31 Test matches in his career, mustering 1860 runs at an average of 35.76 with five centuries and seven fifties to his name.
He made his name in the format as an opener but has dropped down to number three since India moved on from Cheteshwar Pujara. Gill has notched up three centuries at the position but two of them have come in the second innings when the team was in a dominating position.
When the pressure is high and the conditions are challenging, the 25-year-old hasn’t stepped up at all and the numbers are glaring enough as well. In eight innings during the 2024-25 home season, Gill crossed the 50-run mark only twice, once each against Bangladesh (119*) and New Zealand (90).
In his short career thus far, Shubman Gill has played in five countries apart from India and they are – Australia, Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and the West Indies. Apart from Bangladesh, the other four countries have posed a massive challenge for him.
Here’s a look at his performance in all countries where Gill has played Tests so far:
Gill thrives in Asia
Well, the numbers aren’t too great but Shubman Gill certainly likes to play spin, it seems. In India, he averages 42.03 in 17 Tests with four centuries and five fifties to his name. It is a good enough record for a man, who is extremely talented and is looked at as the next big thing in Indian cricket.
He has traveled to Bangladesh to play two Tests and did well to muster 157 runs at an average of 39.25 with a century to his name as well. Even here, the spinners dominate the proceedings and looking at the stats, Gill has fared decently.
Where is the problem then?
But the real problem for Shubman Gill lies in his performances in England, South Africa, West Indies, and Australia, where there is help for fast bowlers and batters’ technique is challenged with every delivery. He is currently with the Indian team Down Under and has disappointed big time with scores of 31, 28, and 1 in three innings. At the Gabba in the third Test, he played a really poor shot gifting his wicket away. In Australia, Gill averages 39.87 in nine innings but a lot of it has to do with his performance in the previous tour when he was new to the international stage.
So far, in the ongoing series, Gill has looked a pale shadow of himself and seems to be very much down on confidence.
The problem for India’s number three in Tests is even more serious when he travels to England, South Africa, and the West Indies. The sample size of Test matches played there is very small but the performance doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence.
Gill averages 14.66 in England, 18.5 in South Africa, and 22.5 in the Caribbean nation after playing three, two, and two Tests respectively. He has not managed to notch up a single fifty-plus score in seven Tests played in these countries with the best score of 36.
In seven Tests combined in these three countries, Gill has mustered only 207 runs in 13 innings at an average of just around 17.
All through the 2024-25 season, Rohit and Virat have been at the receiving end of criticism for averaging 8.85 and 9.12 respectively in the first innings. While Gill has averaged 31.83 so far in this aspect, his performance away from home and especially in testing conditions is questionable. He has a couple more Tests in Australia to improve his case or else Gill’s position in the team could be offered to someone else.
