Gill’s long term batting position

[mancalledsting]

Where should he bat long term? I think he is wasted as an opener where especially in England/SA/NZ you can nick off any time, especially if your defence not super tight. Gill’s defence thus far is ok but needs further development. I think down the order, there will be less reliance on his defensive capabilities and he can attack and play more freely. We wouldn’t waste Sachin as an opener in tests would we? I think Gill is the Sachin of his generation and we should treat him as such. Question is, who do we move to accommodate him? Kohli, Rahane or Pujara? I personally believe no.4 ideal position for him but that spot is VK’s (forget some crazies on the forum who conveniently overlook that he is in the running to be the third greatest Indian batsmen of all time after Sachin and Sunny). I think no.5 too low as he may get stuck with the tail. The best bet for now and next few years is to move him to no.3 and relocate Chepu. What do you all think? 

Edited January 21, 2021 by mancalledsting
N

[Khota]

opener. Dont mess it up.

[goose]

He's doing great opening, why change?

[express bowling]

In test matches ----

 

Opener now.

 

No.3 if another good opener comes along.

Edited January 21, 2021 by express bowling

[Ankit_sharma03]

In test i wud want to see 3 or 4

In ODI once kohli leaves- 3

Edited January 21, 2021 by Ankit_sharma03

[express bowling]

Opener in ODIs 

[Riju23]

In test matches, I agree with the point above, seems ideal for no.3 in the mould of a Ponting. The Aussie commentators (all of whom greatly appreciated Gill's talent) seem to think the same. 

 

Regarding the Pujara point made above: It's unclear to me what the reasoning is NOT to play Pujara as opener? His primary talent is to 1) blunt the new ball and 2) soak up a lot of deliveries and hence allow the free flowing stroke makers around him to flourish. In SENA he is coming in early anyway haha he may as well open!

[express bowling]

12 minutes ago, Riju23 said:

 

Regarding the Pujara point made above: It's unclear to me what the reasoning is NOT to play Pujara as opener? His primary talent is to 1) blunt the new ball and 2) soak up a lot of deliveries and hence allow the free flowing stroke makers around him to flourish. In SENA he is coming in early anyway haha he may as well open!

 

 

Exactly  !

[GautiMaan]

19 minutes ago, express bowling said:

Opener in ODIs 

Do we wait for one of Roht/Dhawan to retire?I hope they dont make him warm the benches like Rahul and Pant

[putrevus]

So after couple of 50s from Gill that too as an opener we relocate one of our best number 3 in Pujara. Pujara has done nothing to move him and Gill has done nothing either for people to move for him. You earn number 3 or number 4 spots.

 

 

[express bowling]

37 minutes ago, GautiMaan said:

Do we wait for one of Roht/Dhawan to retire?I hope they dont make him warm the benches like Rahul and Pant

 

My choice of ODI openers is Gill and Rohit starting next series.

 

Gill must be included in the ODI team.

 

He has a much higher ceiling than Dhawan.

Edited January 21, 2021 by express bowling

[Sandeep99]

Number 3 surely. He is born for it. However, which other opener can replace him? Mayank? Shaw? Rahul? Unfortunately he has to open for the time being until we pin down the 2nd opener.

[Sandeep99]

Just now, express bowling said:

 

My choice of ODI openers is Gill and Rohit starting next series.

 

Gill must be included in the ODI team.

In our dreams. Dhawan will return with his twirling moustache and thigh slapping gestures along with the habit of dropping sitters. Cringeworthy but with our genius captain, do you expect anything else? Please be honest. I expect us to field this XI -

 

Dhawan

Mayank (if captain plays politics and somehow removes Rohit)

CAPTAIN MARVEL

Iyer

Rahul

Pandya

 

Pant, Gill will be ignored as always. 

[Lone Wolf]

7 minutes ago, express bowling said:

 

My choice of ODI openers is Gill and Rohit starting next series.

 

Gill must be included in the ODI team.

 

He has a much higher ceiling than Dhawan.

It has been so so hard for our TM to drop Dhawan in T20s..  So leaving him out of ODIs is wishful thinking for us fans.  

Unless Gill scores a couple of double tons vs England at home.  He is capable but let's see. 

[putrevus]

17 minutes ago, express bowling said:

 

My choice of ODI openers is Gill and Rohit starting next series.

 

Gill must be included in the ODI team.

 

He has a much higher ceiling than Dhawan.

So what should they do with Dhawan? What has he done to be dropped from Odis.

Edited January 21, 2021 by putrevus

[Riju23]

53 minutes ago, putrevus said:

So after couple of 50s from Gill that too as an opener we relocate one of our best number 3 in Pujara. Pujara has done nothing to move him and Gill has done nothing either for people to move for him. You earn number 3 or number 4 spots.

 

 

 

I get your point, but I think what some of us are looking for is to optimize the lineup for all conditions. Why bat Pujara at no.3 and open with someone else who has weaker technique and temperament and who isn't able to let balls go as much as Pujara is [ to be clear, NO ONE is as good at these things as Pujara ] ? In England and NZ and SA he is coming in at like 2/1 in the 2nd over anyway haha. 

 

What we are suggesting isn't some sort of punishment, it's just an attempt to optimize the line up and open with the person best suited for the opener's role. The No. 3 role shouldn't be to bat a ton of balls and blunt the attack, that makes no sense to me (i.e. why wouldn't you want your opener doing that instead). I'm not saying 100% that it should be Gill at no. 3 (I can imagine Rohit instead although I think Rohit's technique is a little tighter than Gill's), but I do think Pujara would be more successful than either of them at opening when it is swinging everywhere.

Edited January 21, 2021 by Riju23
clarification

[Majestic]

Gill should preferably bat at 3. But I think they are waiting for him to fail so that they can move him at 3 and open with Pujara. This might well happen in England.

 

Till now, Pujara has done well at 3 and Gill as opener, so they are just happy persisting with the same.

[KiraReturns23]

Gill gives me Ponting vibes, he should be our no. 3 in the future

[putrevus]

Just now, Riju23 said:

 

I get your point, but I think what some of us are looking for is to optimize the lineup for all conditions. Why bat Pujara at no.3 and open with someone else who has weaker technique and temperament and who isn't able to let balls go as much as Pujara is? In England and NZ and SA he is coming in at like 2/1 in the 2nd over anyway haha.

 

What we are suggesting isn't some sort of punishment, it's just an attempt to optimize the line up and open with the person best suited for the opener's role. The No. 3 role shouldn't be to bat a ton of balls and blunt the attack, that makes no sense to me (i.e. why wouldn't you want your opener doing that instead). I'm not saying 100% that it should be Gill at no. 3 (I can imagine Rohit instead although I think Rohit's technique is a little tighter than Gill's), but I do think Pujara would be more successful than either of them at opening when it is swinging everywhere.

There is no such thing called optimization as far core batsmen are concerned.If Pujara wanted to open , he would have voluntereed for it long time back but he feels comfortable at number 3 and he has earned that right.

 

You don't do horses for courses with your best core players. You sink or swim with them.

[zen]

In tests, I tend to rate those who have some sort of record in top order (#1-3)  high. As a youngster, I hope that Gill opens to learn and improve his game.
 

In the long term, depending on options for specialist openers, he can move to #3. If he has a long career and his reflex slow down (post the age of 30), he can move to the middle order (#4-7)