Former India selector Devang Gandhi says KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill are more comfortable in the Test team currently, owing to the certainty of their batting positions. Gandhi stated that both players have benefited from being certain of their responsibilities, with Rahul now opening the innings and Gill taking up the important No. 4 spot previously held by Virat Kohli.
Gandhi pointed out that Rahul, in particular, has long battled owing to inconsistency in his batting position, having alternated between No. 3 and No. 6 throughout the years. However, with Rohit Sharma no longer in the red-ball setup, Rahul has taken over the opening slot alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. In the first Test against England, Gill and Rahul both scored hundreds, but their efforts were in vain.
Gandhi recalled his time as a selector, mentioning that head coach Rahul Dravid used to put Gill in the middle order during India A matches, where the 25-year-old had one of his best first-class performances.
“Both Rahul and Gill are confident in their batting numbers.
Rahul Dravid used to play Gill in the middle-order on ‘A’ tours when we were selectors, and he had one of his best first-class performances in that position. They undoubtedly feel more secure about their positions now. “They must be enjoying being the leaders in the batting lineup right now,” Gandhi told the Times of India.
India’s top five batsmen scored the majority of the runs in the first Test at Leeds, with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant leading the way with hundreds in both innings. Rahul, Gill, and Jaiswal also made significant contributions, with each recording a century. On the bowling department, Jasprit Bumrah excelled with five wickets in the first innings.
Despite some individual highlights, India were unable to translate their domination into a victory, falling short and losing by five wickets. They will aim to rebound in the second Test, which will begin on July 2 at Edgbaston.
India
