Brad Hogg highlights Gill’s weakness that can make bowlers lucky against him

Although Shubman Gill has just played a handful of international matches, he has earned praises from many fans and experts worldwide. Making his Test debut against Australia last year, the young opener showed nerves and took the likes of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Josh Hazlewood to cleaners. His heroics Down Under earned him a permanent place in India’s Test line-up, and the youngster is deemed to serve Indian cricket for long.

Gill is currently gearing up for the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand next month. The Ageas Bowl in Southampton will host the summit clash, which gets underway on June 18. While performing at such a massive stage would be a litmus test for Gill, former Australian spinner Brad Hogg believes that pressure can’t get the better of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star.

Shubman Gill seems focused on what he has to do: Brad Hogg

“I just love his attitude. He is batting with Rohit Sharma at the moment so I would not want to break that partnership. Just the way he is relaxed, the moment doesn’t faze him, the situation doesn’t faze him. He seems focused on what he has to do,” Hogg said in an interaction with Times Now.

“Everything on the mental side of his approach towards the game shows he knows where he wants to go. With that sort of demeanor and approach, as a bowler in the opposition, puts you on the backfoot a bit thinking – I have to try and unsettle this young fellow. That approach tells me that he is in control,” he added.

While Hogg was all praises for the 21-year-old, he also highlighted one chink in Gill’s armour which he would have exploited. Hogg said that bowlers should make Gill play away from his body constantly by bowling outside the off-stump. Opining that the opener collects a lot of runs in that region, the Aussie star suggested that bowlers might trouble Gill with this strategy.

“There is just one little weakness in his batting which I would be attacking. Whenever you can, you just try and let him play away from his body outside the off-stump. He sort of plays a half-cut half backfoot drive, you just got to try and expose that with the new ball. That’s the only thing I see as his weakness. But the thing is, that’s where he scores a lot of runs as well,” asserted the 50-year-old.