India, as a cricketing nation is very fortunate to be flooded with youngsters who are incredibly talented. Out of the many emerging players, we have Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw. These two have majorly stood out because of their U-19 glory and emergence in domestic cricket. However, they seem to have been fast-tracked into the Indian squad.
Gill was given an opportunity earlier this year in New Zealand for the OD side and he failed to make the most out of the 2 games that he played and could only go on to register single digit scores in both the games. Shaw, on the other hand, has taken a full toll of the opportunity that he was presented with. He played 2 Test matches against the West Indies and amassed 237 runs at an average of 118.5.
However, they might eventually get suckered into the same hole as many cricketers have. India have historically produced and still has a factory which keeps producing talented players who deliver in home conditions. When tasked with touring foreign countries like England, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, everyone’s technique seems to get found out.
If one really wants to develop as a Test player, they should always look to play a couple of seasons of county cricket in England at the start of their Test career. And that is exactly what Gill and Shaw need to do if they truly want to achieve greatness and avoid a pitfall that many have clearly fallen into.
All the Asian teams seem to have a common trend, where they tour England, get their batting technique exposed and their performances end up as an abject failure. As a corrective measure, they decide to stay back and play county cricket. This is a common theme. The question is – Why not do that at the beginning as a precautionary measure rather than a corrective measure?
Shaw delivered in Indian conditions and hence cannot be judged as yet. Similarly Gill failed in New Zealand in the OD format and was found wanting against Boult and Henry’s swing. Imagine what could potentially happen when both are challenged with facing tough swinging and seaming conditions in England or New Zealand? The outcome would be predictable and one should not be surprised.
Everyone already wants to see them play together in the Test format because of the runs they have racked up in the first-class structure. Gill averages 74.88 in 13 games and Shaw averages 60.93 in 17 games. But it is fair to say that it could be too soon for them. At any age, a million dollar IPL deal can set some tails wagging and it’s natural. But one can still manage to play the IPL and then county cricket because they don’t clash completely. The County Championship starts in early April but goes on for months and has a staggered schedule. IPL finishes in May, so there is a massive scope.
Gill at the age of 20 and Shaw at the age of 19, have a great chance of doing something that no other Asian cricketer ever does. Playing county cricket at this age could really lead them to a pathway that can help them achieve greatness. Whether they opt to take that path or not, only time will tell.
Cricket Strategist 