Veteran Australian chinaman spinner Brad Hogg has predicted that KL Rahul’s recent form will likely pave the way for the in-form youngster Shubman Gill in the India vs Australia 3rd test match to be played in Indore. The wicketkeeper-batsman’s poor form in the ongoing Border Gavaskar Trophy, in which he has managed only 38 runs, will force the team management to replace him with Gill at the top of the order. He also believes that it is the right time for this change as India has already retained BGT with a 6-wicket win in the 2nd test at Delhi.
Shubman Gill is in red-hot form currently and team India can only benefit from his form if they play him in the Indore test match. Gill has amassed 769 runs in 12 innings across ODIs and T20Is since the start of 2023. He also scored his maiden international test century against Bangladesh in 2022.
Although Hogg’s tweet said that he doesn’t want Rahul to be dropped given how he has contributed to the team’s success in the past but his current form is not helping him. He also said that Gill’s aggressive nature is what India needs right now which would help them smother the Aussie bowling attack from the beginning.
Notably, KL Rahul was removed as the team’s vice-captain when the BCCI announced the squad for the remainder of the Border Gavaskar series 2023. The BCCI handed the decision of choosing a vice-captain in the last 2 tests over to skipper Rohit Sharma.
Inspite of all the criticism, Indian coach Rahul Dravid has said that the team is standing firmly behind the underfiring wk-batter. Dravid reiterated the fact that KL has scored runs in tough conditions in South Africa and England and this is just a phase that comes in every cricketer’s life.
The 3rd India vs Australia test match will be played in Indore from March 01 onwards. India already has an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing test series with victories in Nagpur and Delhi tests. India must win the 3rd test match to more or less confirm their WTC 2023 final spot.