'After Virat Kohli, he is the next big batter to come from India': Ex-opener's brave statement on Shubman Gill

India's batters have got some valuable time in the middle as they took the Bangladesh bowlers to the cleaners during the first Test.

India's star batters have got some much needed time in the middle during the first Test against Bangladesh. Cheteshwar Pujara in particular has been in stellar form, scoring 90 off 203 balls in the first innings and then scored 102 off 130 in the second, thus scoring his first century since January 2019.

India have been dominant throughout their first Test against Bangladesh. (AP)

Pujara was not the only centurion for India in their second innings though. Shubman Gill, who is opening the innings with stand-in skipper KL Rahul in place of the injured Rohit Sharma, scored his first Test century on Friday as well. Gill scored 110 off 152 balls as part of a 113-run stand with Cheteshwar Pujara, before which he also put up a 70-run opening stand with KL Rahul.

While he has scored an ODI century, this is Gill's first Test ton. He had been dismissed in the 90s once before - when he scored off 146 during India's famous win over Australia at The Gabba in January 2021. “It is good that it came. He missed out on a couple of opportunities before but I am happy this monkey is off his back. He is a class player, I will probably go ahead and say that after Virat Kohli, he is the next big batter to come out of the Indian camp. He is a three-format player and I am hoping to see a lot more good things from Shubman Gill,” said former India opener Wasim Jaffer on ESPNCricinfo.

Jaffer said that with Gill scoring a century and the possibility of Rohit returning for the second Test, there is a chance that India might slot the former into the middle order and sacrifice a spinner. “It is an old saying, when the batters don't perform, the bowlers get dropped. So I am guessing there will be one bowler less and one batter added in. We will see that one spinner might be less in the second Test,” said Jaffer.

Jaffer said that Gill will have no problems adjusting to the middle order. “He has played in the middle order for his state team and he will get used to it. Openers getting slotted in the middle order is not a big deal because you are used to playing spin. It is the other way around which can trouble because when a middle order player is used as an opener, he is not used to playing the hard new ball on a fresh pitch. If Gill is slotted to bat in No.5 or any other position, I think he will be well suited to play there. As an opener, when you play bigger innings you play the old ball and the spinners on a wearing pitch. So I am pretty sure he will get used to it easily,” he said.