Watch: Shubman Gill out shouldering arms on return to Ranji Trophy; walks off in disbelief
Eyeing a bagful of runs before boarding the flight to England, Shubman Gill had a torrid return to Ranji Trophy cricket.
After a fruitful IPL season with the bat for Gujarat Titans (GT), Indian opener Shubman Gill would've been hoping to continue his rich vein of form on his return to first-class cricket for Punjab. But the talented right-hander failed to renew his Ranji Trophy campaign with a significant score next to his name.
Gill got out for just 9 in the Ranji quarterfinal against Madhya Pradesh in Karnataka after shouldering arms to seamer Puneet Datey on Day 1. Not covering for the late inswing, Shubman Gill had his stumps disturbed by Datey on a delivery that the batter should've perhaps defended from the backfoot instead of planting his frontfoot and leaving the ball.
Shubman Gill gets out bowled on comeback to Ranji Trophy
For those following Shubman Gill's career in Tests closely, the dismissal would've been a disappointing reminder of some of his early struggles on the frontfoot playing full-pitched deliveries coming into his body.
This was another occasion where Gill perhaps misjudged the full ball and responded with an unconvincing push towards it without really covering for it entirely.
The ball from Datey, already quite close to the off-stump, kept tailing into the batter and thumped onto the sticks, leading to an early breakthrough for MP and an unsatisfying start for Punjab in the must-win game.
Watch: Chetan Sakariya bags triple wicket maiden in Saurashtra Premier League
— RohitKohliDhoni (@RohitKohliDhoni) June 6, 2022
With an underdeveloped frontfoot game, Shubman Gill has experienced a genuine dip in his returns since returning from Australia after a bumper debut Test series for India last year. The strong backfoot player enjoyed a terrific run at MCG, SCG, and Gabba in India's tremendous series win Down Under, scoring 259 runs in six innings with a best of 91 in Brisbane in a stiff run-chase.
Since then, however, he has averaged only 24.91 over 13 Test innings with just 2 scores of fifty and more. Gill will be hoping to rejuvenate himself with runs in the Ranji knock-outs and get on the plane to England for the much-anticipated Edgbaston Test feeling confident about his overall game.
The way the squad is constructed, the young gun is India's only back-up opener on tour for incumbents Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, unless the think-tank asks middle-order stalwart and comeback man Cheteshwar Pujara to open the batting.