His numbers don't really stack up away from home: Ponting points out Gill's overseas struggles

Dubai, Dec 24 (IANS) Australia great Ricky Ponting believes the Indian opener Shubman Gill's overseas record is not as strong as his performances at home, but the ex-Aussie skipper feels the right-hander can improve his fortunes in Australia with minor changes to his approach. 

Gill averages 23.8 across nine Tests in England, Bangladesh, West Indies, South Africa and Australia. In the same period, he has accumulated 1177 runs and scored four hundreds across 17 Tests at an average of 42.03 at home.

"I love watching him play. When you're watching him bat and bat well, he looks as good as anyone in world cricket. But the numbers don't really stack up, do they, away from home?" Ponting said on The ICC Review.

Since his impressive performance at the Gabba in 2021 during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where his composed 91 helped India clinch a historic series win, Gill has scored just one Test century away from home, which came against Bangladesh in 2022.

After injury forced him out of the series opener in Perth, Gill returned with scores of 31 and 28 in Adelaide and just one run in Brisbane. Ponting said the opener may be overcomplicating his approach.

"I watched him a little bit in Adelaide and it almost looked like he changed things up too much. Scott Boland was bowling and he changed his guard, he moved across to the off stump, presented his front pad to Boland, and Boland got him out with a full straight one," Ponting pointed out.

However, rather than making any major changes, Ponting said Gill could improve his returns by trusting his instincts.

"If anything, I think he needs to back himself a little bit more, needs to back his defensive technique a little bit more here in Australia and still find a way to be able to score and score quickly.

"I'm sure when he's at home or when he's generally scored runs anywhere around the world, he scores them in a nice, attacking mode and almost to the point where he's not really thinking about getting out - he's only thinking about scoring runs. If he goes in with that mindset and that attitude, then things could change here in Melbourne for him," he said.

The fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Melbourne will begin on Boxing Day, with India eyeing a win to keep their hopes of qualifying for the World Test Championship final alive.

--IANS

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