Shubman Gill won’t take long to adapt, play all three formats for India: Shane Watson

Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has backed Shubman Gill to consistently play all three formats for India and said the right-hander won’t take long to adapt. It is not easy to adapt to different formats as the players have a hectic schedule and Gill is currently part of all three teams for India.

While Gill has been handed over the captaincy baton for Test and ODI cricket, he has been appointed as India’s vice-captain in T20Is. Gill has been in brilliant form in the red-ball format and has delivered consistently against England and the West Indies. However, Gill is slightly off touch in the ongoing white-ball series against Australia.

“It does take time (to make adjustments), and it’s through trial and error that you really realise exactly what you need to do to make those adjustments, and playing in different conditions as well,” Watson said in an interview with RevSportz.

“But Shubman is a ridiculously talented batter. He’s got an amazing technique. It’s not going to take him long at all to be able to really navigate his way through the different formats because when someone is as highly skilled as he is, it’s not going to take him too long.”

Gill could only manage 43 runs in three ODIs against Australia. The Indian opener has returned with scores of 37, 5, and 15 in the first three T20Is against the hosts and thus has failed to deliver consistently. Watson said the little adjustments which need to be made while playing across all formats, comes with experience.

“It definitely is a challenge, and the more you do it, the better you get at really understanding the little adjustments that you have to make to your technique, to your game plan, your mindset around each format to be able to then get into the best version of you every time you have to make that adjustment,” said the 44-year-old.

The fourth T20I between India and Australia will be played on Thursday at the Bill Pippen Oval, Gold Coast.