India vs New Zealand: Playing Shubman Gill in middle-order will help, feels former selector Jatin Paranjpe

Former national selector Jatin Paranjpe feels Shubman Gill should bat in the middle-order in the upcoming Test series against New Zealand as it won’t “make a lot of difference” to drop a specialist opener down the order in Indian conditions.

India and New Zealand will lock horns in the two Tests from November 25 and Shubman Gill might be asked to bat in the middle-order with KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal opening the innings in the absence of Rohit Sharma, who has been rested from this series.

It is an ideal opportunity for the team management to check out Gill’s prowess as a middle-order batter in the long run when both Virat Kohli and Rohit return for the South Africa tour.

Jatin Paranjape, who was part of the panel that handed a Test debut to Gill in Australia last year, feels that it won’t be a very bad idea to try him out in the middle-order.

“I am always a believer that rigidity in team selection doesn’t help. I actually feel that playing Shubman as a middle-order batter will help the team. A certain amount of flexibility always helps,” Paranjape told PTI.

It is understood that the new selection committee under Chetan Sharma and the current team management feels that they need at least one player in that middle-order apart from Kohli, who can take the attack back to the opposition camp.

Paranjape feels that a specialist opener will not make much of a difference in Indian conditions where there won’t be much seam and swing on offer after a certain period of time.

“I don’t think in India, it’s going to make a lot of difference because overseas it’s more of a specialised role opener or middle-order. If they use Shubman in the middle-order, I believe it will work as the SG ball will lose its shine pretty quickly.

“In fact, if you see, KL Rahul had batted in the middle-order and had some success early in his career. Shubman can replicate that,” Paranjape explained.

The selectors have included Shreyas Iyer as a specialist middle-order batter but the Mumbaikar might have to wait for his Test debut. Paranjape feels, it should happen in due course of time as a few slots will certainly open up.

“Look sooner or later, Cheteshwar and Ajju (Rahane) won’t be playing. So, two out of three between Vihari, Shubman and Shreyas will grab those middle-order slots.

“Even if, Shreyas doesn’t get an opportunity in this series, I won’t be very disheartened as his time will certainly come,” Paranjape added.

Ajinkya Rahane will lead India in the first Test in Kanpur before Kohli returns from his break to take charge of the team in the second match in Mumbai. (With PTI inputs)