In the current discussion over India’s opening combination in one-day internationals, former Indian selector Saba Karim has weighed in with his opinion. In preparation for the ICC World Cup 2023, he believes that the stand-in skipper, KL Rahul, should occupy the No. 4 position.
He said that Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma are the openers who should get the most playing time and that Shubman Gill had to be trained to be the backup opening.
What did Saba Karim say about Shubman Gill?
Speaking to India News, Karim said:Â “The current position for K.L. Rahul is the number four spot. Because of this, Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill were given the responsibility of opening the batting. The selectors and management of India’s national cricket team are seeking a replacement opener for the 2023 World Cup. Gill will be able to play the position of a backup opener, with Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan serving as the front-line openers.”
Off The Mark ✅ pic.twitter.com/qnPyZ3Y8bp
— Shubman Gill (@ShubmanGill) August 18, 2022
In addition, he described Shubman Gill as a multi-talented player capable of competing in all three forms.
He added: “Playing across three forms with the appropriate technique is really difficult, but Gill has all of those components,” His demeanour is wonderful. He was forced to go through challenging situations where he scored runs.”
Shikhar Dhawan said "It's lovely to watch Shubman Gill bat, he has shown very good consistency".
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) August 19, 2022
At the crease, Gill continued to open the batting for India ahead of Rahul in the opening one-day international match against Zimbabwe on Thursday in Harare. This came after Gill had a breakthrough ODI series in the West Indies. In the process of trying to reach a goal of 190 runs, he scored 82 runs while remaining undefeated off 72 balls. His innings included 10 fours and a six.
Along with the veteran Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan (81 not out), the teenager contributed to an opening wicket partnership of 192 runs that remained undefeated. The away team triumphed in the match by a score of 10 wickets.
