IND vs ENG 2024: “Shubman Gill’s confidence is rock-bottom” – Aakash Chopra

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra reckons Shubman Gill’s confidence is rock-bottom after the youngster could not deliver the goods in the opening Test match against England at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad.

Gill was dismissed after scoring 23 runs in the first innings. The youngster played a poor shot, which led to his downfall, and could not convert his start into a substantial score.

The right-hander was dismissed for a duck in the second innings and he has put under the pump for his ordinary performances in Test cricket in the recent past.

Gill could only score 74 runs at an average of 18.50 in the two Test matches against South Africa.

Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “I had said India won’t be able to do this run chase if Rohit gets out and it got proven as well. Yashasvi got out. It would have been great if he had scored runs but he is a young kid, how much burden you will put on his shoulders. I was thinking that there is a possibility of him getting out on this bad pitch.”

“Shubman Gill’s confidence is rock-bottom at the moment. Shubman Gill might have an average close to or less than 20 in his last 11 innings. The highest is not 40 and he is struggling against left-arm spin. He went with hard hands and got caught out at silly point,” the former India opener added.

The reputed commentator reckons Rohit Sharma’s dismissal in the second innings was the game-changing moment.

“KL Rahul came and managed for some time but then Tom Hartley dismissed Rohit Sharma. In my opinion, Rohit Sharma’s dismissal was the game-changing moment for India. India then sent Axar Patel, tried to do something different.”

“India lost Axar Patel’s wicket immediately after Tea. After that, they lost KL Rahul. Then it was just downhill. (Ravindra) Jadeja got run out. Shreyas also fell prey to Jack Leach. There was a partnership between (Srikar) Bharat and (Ravichandran) Ashwin, and it seemed like things could change.”

The second Test match between India and England will be played at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam from 2nd February.