Gill's Away Output A Cause For Concern

India's number three was expected to play the role of his formidable predecessor, Pujara. He has not been up to the mark in BGT so far

- GOMESH S

OR someone who rarely lets off any emotion while addressing the media, Shubman Gill did not hide his happiness when he was asked about the feeling of coming back to the Gabba in the lead-up to the third Test between India and Australia. He was visibly delighted while talking about his previous visit to the venue, and with good reason.

It was the game that announced his arrival as a Test batter on the global stage. In only his third week as a Test cricketer, Gill produced a scintillating 91 which was crucial in setting up the game and series for Rishabh Pant here. While Gill felt nostalgic and very happy about coming back to the venue, things did not go down as well as he would have liked.

In fact, it hasn't been whenever he travels outside of Asia. That 91 against Australia in the series decider at the Gabba in January 2021 should have been the launchpad on which Gill's dominance as a Test batter was built. Instead, three years on, it feels more like an aberration. Now, it might seem harsh, but one look at the numbers will tell the full story. While Gill's average of 35.76 after 31 Tests might be sub-par - Virat Kohli averaged 43.08 after 30 Tests - there seems to be a bigger concern.