Entering Australia in Pujara's shadows, can Gill script his own legacy?

Since the drubbing against New Zealand at home, there have been talks of whether someone like a Cheteshwar Pujara or a Ajinkya Rahane would have proved pivotal in turning the series around. The cracks in the Indian batting line-up have been there for some time, with their expertise against spin brought into question. It took Mitchell Santner and Ajaz Patel to bring it out in the open and reduce India to one embarrassing loss after another.

Like many teams in the world in recent times, India too have embraced the policy of playing attacking cricket in Tests, where they are content to lose wickets in pursuit of some quick runs to put the opposition under pressure. From senior players like Rohit Sharma to newcomers like Yashasvi Jaiswal, everyone has embraced this strategy and have bought into the idea of such a gameplay.

When it comes off, it looks so good — as it did in the Kanpur Test, when India's attacking brand of cricket saw them overcome Bangladesh sumptuously. 

However, a similar approach did not pay off in the series against New Zealand. While a few like Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant managed to keep the tempo up, the likes of Rohit, Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan failed more often than not. While they had healthy strike rates, their run contribution was agonizingly low. The high risk-high reward approach certainly did not go according to plan on this occasion at least.

That's where someone like a Pujara comes in. He will score runs and also play out time — two vital ingredients to being a successful Test player (or at least deemed to be). 

Players like Pant might steal the show with plenty of swashbuckling shots, but it’s batters like Pujara at the other end that will calm the situation down without taking much risk.

“What I do remember, a lot of people talk about Rishabh Pant in the last series in Australia, but the guy who won the series was Pujara,” Former Australia captain Tim Paine said of Pujara who had played 928 deliveries in the previous BGT, Down Under, on The Grade Cricketer Podcast.

Pujara had massive shoes to fill when he took over the No. 3 mantle from Rahul Dravid. Now, Shubman Gill has a similar task.

To his credit, he has certainly started off well. Since he was made India's permanent No. 3 in 2023, Gill has slammed 879 runs at 41.85, which includes three tons and as many fifties in 24 innings. 760 of those runs (Ave 50.66) have come in India alone. Moreover, all his 50-plus scores, too, have come at home. 

In a way, the Australia tour is his real litmus test. But Gill, who made his debut in Australia in 2020, already has a superb record Down Under, with an average of nearly 52 in six innings - all coming as an opener. 

He has failed to breach 30 just once and played a key role in India's historic win at Gabba last time with a well-compiled 91. Safe to say, Gill has a taste of what it is to bat against one of the fiercest bowling attacks in the world against a brand new cherry.

Since July 2023, when Gill assumed the No. 3 position, the worrying aspect about his knocks have been the fact that 43% of his dismissals have come within the first 30 deliveries, which is quite high. It's all about surviving the initial jitters for Gill, who, once set, is difficult to get rid of. 

Also Read: Skill, temperament & grind: Gill continues to take giant strides at No.3

What Pujara did well in the last Australian tour, or in Australia in general, was being willing to see the initial spells of the fast bowlers off. To do so, he would leave, take blows on his body and look to play the ball only when it was absolutely necessary. 

Gill, who is much more free-flowing, is someone who does not like to get bogged down. He will not be rash, but at the same time would look to dominate the bowling attack, which is a tad riskier, but at the same time effective.

Who is to say which strategy is better? While Gill has been dismissed in a bid to get going, it has its own advantages, and the 25-year-old will have to learn how to find a balance. 

From the dust bowls of India to the fast and spicy wickets of Australia: the sudden change in the wickets and conditions are sure to play a role in keeping many from getting off the blocks quickly. But with prior experience of playing there and to know the feeling of winning there, Gill will hope that this long tour of Australia takes his game to the next level.

After all, he is earmarked to lead India at some point. He is already Rohit's deputy in the 50-over format, and while he may not be there just yet in Tests, a smashing series in one of the toughest places to succeed might very well go a long way in him taking a step closer to leadership.

The weight of expectations on Gill's shoulders will be immense. The team management are clearly willing to give Gill a long run at three, given that the team is going through a transitional phase. A failure in the series may not prove to be the end of Gill at three, but surely, it might pave the way for head coach Gautam Gambhir & co to second guess their decision.

For India and Gill's sake, let's hope that it's not the case.

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