Shubman Gill must be finding it a bit weird opening with Abhishek Sharma: Ex-RCB pacer

Former Indian pacer and commentator Varun Aaron has stated that the Indian T20I vice-captain, Shubman Gill, might be finding it a bit weird opening the batting with Abhishek Sharma, who is having a better strike rate.

Speaking on Star Sports, Aaron asserted that Gill is playing the ice role in the opening combination while Abhishek Sharma is taking up the fire role. However, as seen in the fifth T20I against Australia Down Under, the roles got reversed for both Gill and Sharma as the former had a better strike rate.

“Shubman Gill must be finding it a bit weird because one and a half or two years ago, Shubman Gill was the leader, if you can say so. Within this combination, in the IPL, playing for India in T20Is, and getting consistent runs. He is still getting runs, but Abhishek Sharma is just obliterating everybody with his strike rate,” Varun Aaron said on Star Sports.

“Shubman Gill is somebody who is playing the ice role in this combination. Abhishek being the fire. Both of them go about their work very effortlessly. Shubma Gill, in the last T20I, just showed how much class he has. He just has to hold his position, and he can do everything from there itself,” Aaron noted.

Furthermore, Varun Aaron heaped praise on Abhishek Sharma for winning consecutive player of the series/tournament awards in the Asia Cup in Asian conditions and in Australian conditions, adding that he knows how to adapt quickly to different conditions.

“He won the Player of the Tournament in Asia in Dubai on slow wickets, and the other one in Australia. Two very different conditions, and he just shows that he has a way to adapt to these conditions. What most batters find difficult is coming from slow wickets to fast wickets. They are not able to adapt,” he stated.

“Especially against Josh Hazlewood in the first two games, I thought he had a method, which was to step out and try to get him off his mark. I think Abhishek Sharma has found a way to get the bowlers off their plans. Going forward, he’s going to be the most vital cog in the Indian batting wheel because if you get off to a good start, more often than not, you win the game,” Aaron concluded.

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