Aakash Chopra backs Shubman Gill to replace Virat Kohli in last 3 Test matches against Aus

Aakash Chopra has backed Shubman Gill to be Virat Kohli's replacement in the last three Test matches at Melbourne, Sydney, and, Brisbane respectively. Kohli would be heading back to India after the first Test match to be with his wife Anushka Sharma as they are expecting their first child in January. He has been granted paternity leave by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Meanwhile, Gill, who is a part of the Indian Test squad is yet to make an impact in red-ball cricket. He was roped in as one of the openers during India's home Test series against South Africa last year but had to warm the bench after regular openers Mayank Agarwal and Rohit Sharma had an outstanding run in that series.

'My choice'

While interacting in a video that was posted on his official Facebook page, Chopra wondered who would replace Kohli after he leaves Australia after the pink-ball Test match at the Adelaide Oval and then went on to mention that if there is someone who the Indian team is looking to bat someone in the middle order, then they should prefer Shubman Gill ahead of the limited-overs specialist KL Rahul.

“If you are looking to bat someone in the middle order, I feel Shubman Gill should get the no ahead of KL Rahul. Shubman Gill’s name after Virat Kohli is ahead of KL Rahul. So, in my opinion, Shubman Gill will be my choice,” said the cricketer-turned-commentator/analyst. 

Virat, who is a very accomplished number three batsman in white-ball cricket, comes out to bat at number four in the longest format of the game. Meanwhile, it also remains to be seen whether Gill will get a game in the upcoming four-match Test series where he will be expected to make his debut in red-ball cricket. So far, the youngster has only represented India in three One Day Internationals.

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Can Team India do the unthinkable?

India have their task cut out once regular skipper Kohli leaves the Australian tour midway as they will have to play out of their skins in order to retain the iconic Border-Gavaskar Trophy that they had won a couple of years back on Australian soil by beating a depleted Australian side. Their star players Steve Smith and David Warner were handed a 12-month suspension from international cricket for their involvement in the infamous ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March 2018. 

The odds are even this time as the Aussies will be fielding a full-strength squad that consists of Warner, Smith, Marnus Labuchagne, etc. The Tim-Paine led Australians are currently the top-ranked Test side and are also at the summit of the ICC World Test Championship.

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