IND vs AUS: Ravi Shastri backs Shubman Gill to replace KL Rahul in 3rd Test - ‘How’s this guy not playing?’

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Former India coach Ravi Shastri has given his verdict on the toss up between KL Rahul or Shubman Gill for the third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaksar Trophy against Australia.

The 60-year-old has asserted that 23-year-old Gill deserves to be in the eleven on the basis of his merit and regardless of the runs he would score in the match. He also stated how players in the dressing room must be wondering on the Punjab cricketers omission from the eleven.

Shubman Gill deserves a chance: Ravi Shastri

"He (Gill) is that good at the moment and whether he scores or doesn’t score, on form, on merit, he deserves a chance," Shastri said.

"When you have a player that confident and then his performances off late and the way he's batted – there'll be a lot of players in that team thinking within themselves 'How’s this guy not playing?’

"They must be thinking, to be honest, it's like that, the dressing room. I know that dressing room. They'll be feeling 'Gee man, this guy is hot'." Shastri said on the latest episode of The ICC Review.

The former all-rounder was also asked if the inclusion of Gill in place of Rahul would effect the chemistry of the winning team. Replying to the question, he minced no words in saying that players should be picked on the basis of their performance. He also suggested a break for Rahul quoting the example of Cheteshwar Pujara who was dropped last year.

"Not at all. I mean, it's straight up, It comes down to performance,” Shastri noted, when asked about how making changes to a winning team may effect chemistry.

“You stick it on the board. This is the performance. It's a tough thing for a coach, I remember I had to do it many times, where you just sit down, and explain to the player, 'This is what's on the board, what do you think?’

"Sometimes a break for a player in those times is far better, because you can go away, work on his game and come back stronger. I remember in my tenure, in the first Test at England, Pujara was dropped and he came back with hundreds.

“KL Rahul was dropped in Australia in 2019 and came back strongly too."

The third Test between India and Australa kicks off in Indore from March 1. India have taken a 2-0 lead in the series and have already retained the Border-Gavskar Trophy. A win in the third Test will also see India qualify for the final of World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23.