Shubman Gill continues to silence critics with his bat, scoring back-to-back centuries at No.4 in the ongoing Test series against England. However, former England captain Nasser Hussain believes that the Indian skipper is best suited to bat at No.3 in the long run.
Gill, who made his Test debut as an opener, has been adapting to new roles within the team. After scoring 147 in the first Test at Headingley, he followed it up with a gritty 114* on Day 1 of the second Test at Edgbaston. These performances placed him among elite Indian names such as Sunil Gavaskar, Vijay Hazare, and Virat Kohli—players who have scored hundreds in their first two Tests as captain.
Despite his recent success at No.4, Hussain maintained that Gill’s natural game aligns with the demands of a No.3 position. He even drew a comparison to Joe Root, who moved down from No.3 to No.4 during his England career.
“He looks like a natural number three to me,” Hussain said on Sky Sports. “Just like Joe Root. But with the added pressure of captaincy and away conditions, he has handled things brilliantly.”
Gill’s shift to No.4 has brought better results after a modest stint at No.3, where his average hovered around 35. His promotion to captaincy also came with added pressure, especially after India rested ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah for workload management.
Former India coach Ravi Shastri praised Gill’s technical adjustments, particularly in his defensive play. Shastri noted that Gill had worked on using softer hands and trusting his technique more—an area he struggled with during his last England tour.
India ended Day 1 of the Edgbaston Test at 310/5. Alongside Gill’s unbeaten ton, Yashasvi Jaiswal contributed a fluent 87, further solidifying the top-order performance. A 99-run stand between Gill and Ravindra Jadeja (41*) gave India the upper hand heading into Day 2.
As the debate continues over Gill’s ideal batting position, what remains clear is his growing maturity and form under pressure—both as a batsman and a captain.
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