India's uncapped Test players touring Australia: Shubman Gill

With the Border-Gavaskar trophy a month away, India has updated their squad, adding opener Rohit Sharma while skipper Virat Kohli will be on paternity leave after the first Test at Adelaide.

In the 19-man squad, there are three uncapped Indians and in this series, I’ll be looking at each uncapped player.

First up, Shubman Gill.

Who is Shubman Gill?
Shubman Gill is a right-handed batsman hailing from Punjab – who have produced the likes of Bishan Singh Bedi, father-and-son duo Lala and Mohinder Amarnath duo alongside a host of other names. Usually an opener by trade, Gill has shown in his first-class career that he can bat in different positions as well.

Only 21, Gill is widely tipped to have a bright future in international cricket.

When did he make his first-class debut?
Gill made his first-class debut for Punjab against Bengal in November 2017. Opening the batting, Gill scored 63 and 21 on debut as Punjab were thrashed by an innings and 19 runs.

When did he make his maiden first-class hundred?
Gill didn’t have to wait long to make his maiden first-class hundred. In his second first-class match, Gill smashed 129 off only 142 deliveries against Services.

When did Gill rise to prominence?
Gill was a well-known name in the U-19 ranks. In the 2018 ICC U-19 World Cup, Gill was adjudged man of the series for scoring 372 runs at an average of 124 with a strike rate of over 110 alongside two fifties and one century. India would lift the cup in an undefeated campaign over six matches.

When did Gill make his debut for India A?
In only his third first-class match of his career, Gill was making his India A debut – that’s how highly he was talked about in Indian cricket. Against an Australia A attack comprising Chris Tremain, Brendan Doggett, Michael Neser and spin twins Ashton Agar and Mitchell Swepson, Gill scored 50 and 4 as India A won by six wickets late on Day 4.

When was Gill’s breakthrough season in the Ranji Trophy?
Gill’s breakthrough in the Ranji Trophy came in the 2018-19 season. The Punjab opener smashed 728 runs in nine innings at an average of 104 which includes a career-best score of 268 vs Tamil Nadu.

When did Gill make a genuine case to be in India’s Test squad?
Calls for Gill to be included in the Indian Test squad came following a double-hundred (204*) vs West Indies A at the Brian Lara Oval in Trinidad, becoming the youngest Indian to score a first-class hundred for India A. Following KL Rahul’s string of low scores for nearly 12 months, Gill would replace the Karnataka opener as he received his maiden call-up into the Indian Test squad vs South Africa in September 2019.

Shubman Gill of India.(Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images)

But Gill would be overlooked for India’s final playing XI as Rohit Sharma was preferred as Mayank Agarwal’s opening partner. Even after Rohit Sharma missed out on India’s Test series loss to New Zealand, Gill was controversially excluded from India’s playing XI as Prithvi Shaw was recalled into India’s Test squad and playing XI. Gill had played in both of India A’s first-class games vs New Zealand A – scoring 83, 204* and 136 yet was still left out.

What are his chances of playing in the Border-Gavaskar trophy?
Gill’s chances of playing in the Border-Gavaskar trophy this year are relatively high. With Virat Kohli leaving after the first Test, Gill is expected to fill Kohli’s boots and bat at four for the remainder of the series. While some may say he should’ve already made his Test debut, a Boxing Day debut sounds fitting for the youngster from Punjab.

Gill’s FC stats
For India A: 13 innings, 970 runs, five fifties, three hundreds, 88.18 average.

For Punjab: 21 innings, 1163 runs, five fifties, four hundreds, 64.61 average.

Overall: 34 innings, 2133 runs, ten fifties, seven hundreds, 73.55 average.