Why did India drop Shubman Gill for MCG Test?

India made a bold call to drop Shubman Gill for the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The No.3 batter has been dropped because of his poor numbers outside Asia, and India have replaced him with Washington Sundar.

Gill missed the first Test in Perth after fracturing his thumb during the match simulation but returned to the XI in Adelaide. The right-hander got a couple of starts (31 and 28) in the day-night fixture but couldn’t convert them into something substantial. Then, in the third Test in Brisbane, Gill could only manage one run, getting out quite early.

Now, this is not the first time Gill has struggled outside India. The right-hander averages 42.04 at home, but his numbers in overseas Tests haven’t been great since his debut in Australia during the 2020-21 series. 

In his maiden series, Gill scored 259 runs at an average of 51.8 across six innings and helped India emerge victorious. However, since then, Gill has averaged 17.8 in nine Tests outside India (England, South Africa, West Indies, and Australia).

In 16 innings, the right-hander has only managed 267 at a balls/dismissal of 27.8. His highest score in these 16 innings is just 36. Across his last nine Tests outside Asia, Gill doesn't even have a single fifty; that's how poor his form has been. 

He does have six 20-plus scores, but not once did he manage to convert them into something big. What would have made things easier for the Indian team management is how good Ravindra Jadeja, Washington, and Nitish Reddy have been with the bat. Jadeja wasn't picked for the first two Tests but made a match-saving 77 in the third encounter.

Meanwhile, Reddy has been one of the best Indian batters in the ongoing series. The all-rounder has managed 175 runs at an impressive average of 44.75 and has looked assured whenever he has come out to bat.

Washington, who also made his debut during the 2020-21 tour of Australia, is averaging 48.37 after seven Tests.