Time for Shubman to step up after timid show in first Test

His struggle against left-arm spinners continues after being dismissed by Hartley in both innings 

- Sanjjeev K Samyal

As India contemplate what would have been in the Hyderabad Test if at least one of their batters had got a big hundred, Shubman Gill's scratchy batting will be of concern to the team management. The manner of dismissals to debutant England left-arm spinner Tom Hartley didn't help.

Hartley had a harsh initiation in Tests after sharing the new ball as Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal hammered 80 runs in 12.2 overs when Gill walked in. Surprisingly, despite the platform set by the openers to dominate, he went into a shell, getting 23 runs off 66 balls with just two fours at a strike rate of 34.84.

He never got into any kind of rhythm and was unable to rotate the strike. A free-flowing batter at the start of his Test career as opener, it was strange to see him try and grind his way. Was he trying to do a Cheteshwar Pujara, the man he had replaced at No.3? It showed a lack of confidence. The uncertainty in his approach was due to a lack of runs.

After a timid stay of 89 minutes, Gill gifted his wicket holing out to midwicket. Hartley finally had his maiden wicket -on the fifth ball of his 15th over, 34th of the innings. It was a poor effort by the 24-year-old, trying to break free after a baffling knock.

His second innings dismissal was a strange one too. He defended a regulation left-arm spinner's delivery, off the second ball he faced, into silly point's hands. The earlier version of Gill would have swatted it over the in-field.