Former India captain and chief selector Kris Srikkanth has criticized Shubman Gill for his underwhelming performances outside Asia, calling the India's star batter a "highly overrated cricketer."
Aside from Yashasvi Jaiswal, no Indian batter has consistently met the high standards needed to excel in Australia. While players like Nitish Kumar Reddy, Rishabh Pant, and KL Rahul have displayed moments of brilliance, they have struggled to deliver collectively in critical situations.
Shubman Gill, often touted as the future of Indian cricket, has enjoyed strong backing from the selection committee. However, his performances in overseas conditions have raised questions about his ability to succeed on the big stage.
Since his breakout debut series in Australia in 2020/21, Gill’s form outside Asia has been disappointing. Over 18 innings, he has averaged just 17.64 and has failed to cross the 40-run mark even once. His struggles were particularly evident in the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he managed scores of 13, 20, 1, 28, and 31
"I've always maintained that Shubman Gill is an overrated cricketer, but nobody listened to me. He is a highly overrated cricketer," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
Srikkanth criticized the selectors for continuously backing Shubman Gill while denying similar opportunities to players like Suryakumar Yadav. He highlighted that Suryakumar was dropped after just one Test appearance against Australia in Nagpur and has since been limited to white-ball cricket.
"When Gill is getting such a long rope, some people might wonder why even players like Suryakumar Yadav couldn't have been given a longer run in Tests," the former India captain remarked.
"Suryakumar didn't have the best start in Tests, but he has the technique and ability. Yet, the selectors and management have boxed him into being a white-ball specialist. So now, fresh talent needs to be looked at."
Gaikwad or Sudharsan over Gill
Srikkanth called on the team management to prioritize players like Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sai Sudharsan, asserting that they are more deserving of opportunities than Shubman Gill.
"Ruturaj Gaikwad, for instance, has been performing brilliantly in first-class cricket, but he hasn't been picked. Similarly, Sai Sudharsan has been outstanding on 'A' tours. These are the players who should be promoted. Instead, the selectors are stuck in a loop with Gill," Srikkanth said.
"Gill is surviving because he gets ten chances and scores on the tenth after nine failures. That keeps him in contention for another ten chances. Anyone can score runs on Indian wickets, but the real challenge is performing in overseas conditions, particularly in SENA countries. That's where players like KL Rahul have proven themselves."
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