'Jolt For The Team, But...': Ganguly Weighs In On Gill's Setback, Confident In India's Batting

Shubman Gill's thumb fracture is certainly a "jolt" for India ahe of series opener against Australia but former captain Sourav Ganguly firmly believes team has quality and mental fortitude to overcome recent shock loss at home in Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting in Perth from Friday. Gill, who has five hundreds in 29 Tests, h scored a fifty in Melbourne and a game-setting 91 at Brisbane in two victories on previous tour.

He suffered a left thumb fracture while fielding in intra-squ simulation between senior team and India A, ruling him out of first Test.

"Shubman's injury is jolt for team no doubt as he is an in-form batter and has scored in Australia. A thumb fracture could rule him out for two Tests.

"But I believe or batters would step up in absence of Rohit (on paternity leave) and Shubman during first Test. I don't think New Zealand defeat would have any bearing on this series," former BCCI president told PTI in an interview ahe of marquee series.

With Hardik Pandya not playing Test cricket anymore, India don't have too many genuine pace bowling all-rounders and while Nitish Kumar Reddy is still very raw, one of India's finest captains feels that Andhra cricketer needs to be given chances in specific conditions.

"Look, re is absolutely no point in playing two specialist spinners eir at Perth (Optus) or at Gabba (Brisbane). You obviously need to find a way to play Reddy in se conditions. He is a good batsman and coming in at lower middle order, it will lend proper balance to side," he gave his rationale for inclusion of a multi-skilled player.

Ganguly also felt that Mohammed Shami should have travelled to elaide and played second Test starting December 6, which is a day/night game. Shami is not being fast-tracked immediately by selectors, who want him to play in Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 tournament before taking a call on his travel Down Under.

"Shami bowled nearly 45 overs, fielded for more than 100 overs and also scored some runs. That's a good enough fitness test to be sent to Australia because you need a bowler of his calibre alongside Jasprit Bumrah." 

Why are we talking about transition? 

talks over a possible transition post shock loss to New Zealand has gained traction but 51-year-old finds no merit in that argument. "Transitions will happen when it has to happen. I think any player shouldn't be judged on basis of age. Form and fitness should be only two criteria to judge a player." If re are two batters that Ganguly is looking forward to seeing in series, it is Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant. "I have full confidence in Virat Kohli. He has been a proven performer and he will have a very good series. Kohli and second best Test batter in current line-up Rishabh will be key. If se two can perform, India will have a good series," he said.

Don't think team is “under-cooked”

Ganguly also doesn't believe that team is under-cooked in terms of facing Australia in a five-match series.

"Undercooked is a term used when you haven't played any Test cricket at all. y have just played five Tests in last seven weeks so how does question even arise? "I can understand that defeat against New Zealand was unexpected but you have to understand we played on some extremely difficult tracks. In Australia, tracks will be good for batting," Ganguly said.

But won't re be a mental impact of such debacle going into a high-profile against Aussies? "I don't think so. But I must say that we need to get back to playing on good cricket pitches at home.

"We should stop this habit of playing on rank turners. batsmen lose confidence on such tracks and we have a team which can win Test matches on good tracks.

“Also on turners, you need to learn to grind before you can attack. re are two s of tracks where you can't just hit through line and get out of trouble. One is a seaming track and or being a rank turner.”