Gill's Struggle with Bat and Captaincy
Shubman Gill, who had emerged as India's Test captain after his success in the tour of England, fared poorly in Australia. All of them had cherished hopes that he would deliver in Tests too, along with ODIs, but he flopped with bat too, as with captaincy. His inability to adjust the Australian conditions along with the Australian players' game plan resulted in poor performances. This phase, however, has some takeaways that will benefit him to perform better in future series.
ODI Series Blunders
Gill took over from Rohit Sharma as ODI captain but didn't make it. In the three-game ODI series, he couldn't cross 30 runs in a match, scoring only 43 runs overall. Australian fast bowlers attacked him mercilessly, exploiting bounce and movement off their tracks. Their strategic game plans brought about the fall of Gill in all three matches. His brief resistance in the third ODI was not enough to influence the game or the series result.
Regular Matches and Fatigue of Players
Gill has participated in all of India's matches from the Test series against England. Continuous playing without a break might affect the form and concentration of any cricketer. It's felt by most of the followers that this insufficient rest has hurt his poor performance on the Australian tour. With too much on his plate in terms of a busy schedule — from the five-match T20 series against Australia — workload management is vital. Overload can make him susceptible to being tired or injured, more so with the T20 World Cup early next year.
Workload and Captaincy Pressure
Gill's captaincy too was under pressure due to factors outside his control. Gill lost the toss in every one of the three ODIs against Australia, which limited him in terms of executing pre-planned strategies. This pressure from the outside too might have been visible on his batting as well. Balancing leadership responsibilities alongside personal performance may be daunting for any young captain. Therefore, it is up to the team management to bring him back under control and advise him accordingly.
Future Series and Chances for Redemption
India will host South Africa in November–December and New Zealand in January in ODI series. The upcoming games will be crucial for Gill to regain his rhythm and confidence. As a batsman and captain, he needs to attempt to take India to their winning form. With improved workload management and tactical development, Gill can again prove why he is one of Indian cricket's most promising talents.
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