Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan slammed Shubman Gill for his poor outing in the second innings of the first Test match against New Zealand in Kanpur. 

After missing the away series against England due to injury, Shubman Gill made a comeback into the national team in the ongoing first Test match against New Zealand at home.

The right-handed batter announced his comeback in style as he smashed his fourth Test half-century in the first innings. But just after scoring the half-century, Gill was bowled by Kyle Jamieson through the gap between bat and the pad. 

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After India bowled out New Zealand for 296 runs in their first inning on Day 3, the hosts were due to play the last 25 minutes of the day and it was expected that openers Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill would negotiate the tricky phase and end the day on high for the Ajinkya Rahane-led side. 

However, it didn’t go India’s way as Shubman Gill was dismissed in a similar manner by Kyle Jamison, who targeted the gap between the bat and the pad to uproot his stumps for a duck. 

Gill’s dismissal in the second innings didn’t go well with Irfan Pathan, who admitted that it’s not easy to bat in the last few overs of the day but pointed out that Shubman Gill needs to work on his technique. 

“It is not easy at all. The lights are on, the ball moves and you know that you have to go back not out. Opening batsmen usually get out because of the pressure to go back not out. But Shubman Gill will have to definitely work on his technique,” Irfan Pathan said on Star Sports. 

Pathan further explained how Gill’s hands come in roundabout fashion against the pitched-up deliveries and remarked that if the right-handed batter works on that he has a lot of ability in him. 

"His hands come in a roundabout fashion, especially against pitched-up deliveries. If he works on that, he has a lot of ability. Here both his feet remained at the same spot and till the time the bat came down, it was very late,” he said. 

(Star Sports inputs)