India should look at Shubman Gill as the next no.4 batsman, says Dav Whatmore
As India continue to struggle in their quest for a long-term no.4 batsman in ODIs, Dav Whatmore believes the answer is in U-19 star Shubman Gill. Gill, who is currently playing for the India 'A' side against West Indies A, hit consecutive fifties to set up a series win for his side.
India’s problem at no.4, in ODIs, has been going on for so long that virtually every cricketing fan on the planet is aware of it by now. Although many have offered their well thought out ideas for a solution, and India have tried nearly every tool in the book, the team management is nowhere close to finding a permanent answer. Whatmore, who didn’t rule out the latest option Rishabh Pant, suggested India to look at the other star to emerge from the U-19s.
"India were hit by a couple of injuries and that was unfortunate. The No. 4 position kept sticking its head up - asking for a better solution. I feel Rishabh Pant, perhaps, could have done the job had he come (to the side) earlier. Going forward, India could look at players such as Shubman Gill for that spot. He is young, has a sound technique and has all the shots in the book," Whatmore told TNN, reported TOI.
Whatmore, who was in Chennai for the launch of Cricket Leisure League by Sports Exotica, also gave his opinions on two of the most hotly discussed subjects in cricket right now - in Indian cricket, the future of MS Dhoni, and in world cricket, the controversy of the World Cup final. Whatmore is of the opinion that the management should leave it to Dhoni about when he hangs up his boots, but gave a timely tip as well.
"MS brings a lot to the table as a senior member of the side who has done so much for India. I feel it's unfair (to speculate over his retirement). MS should be the one deciding how long he wants to play. The team management must groom other players whom they feel can take his place in the future. It could Pant or anyone else," Whatmore said.
However, the 1996 World Cup winning coach, was of the opinion that neither New Zealand nor England deserved to lose the trophy. He believes that the trophy should’ve been shared at the end of such a close contest.
"One was left wondering whether there was a winner at all in that game. The trophy could have been shared as it would have been a fair reflection of the way the two teams played in the final. They fought hard and no team deserved to lose that day. And, I don't think I have heard of teams winning on the basis of number of boundaries hit before. There could have been other ways to separate the two teams," he added.
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