Rohit Sharma backs Jaiswal, Gill ahead of Boxing Day Test
What's the story
Indian cricket team captain, Rohit Sharma, has once again backed youngsters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill.
The Indian skipper threw his weight behind the duo during a press conference ahead of the Boxing Day Test match against Australia, starting December 26.
While Jaiswal scored a match-winning century in Perth, Gill has been inconsistent in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy so far.
However, Sharma is confident about their abilities and stressed the importance of not overcomplicating their batting.
Player support
Sharma advocates for free mindset in batting
Sharma emphasized the importance of keeping a free mind for players like Jaiswal.
"When you have a guy like [Jaiswal] in your squad, in your team, you don't want to tamper too much with his mindset," he said.
He added that it's important not to load him with thoughts about how to bat.
The Indian skipper feels every player knows their batting better than anyone else.
Confidence
Sharma's faith in Gill
Sharma also reiterated his belief in Gill's capabilities, calling him a quality player.
He stressed on the need for clear communication and not making things complicated for him either.
The Indian skipper said, "So he knows how to score big runs. So it's just making sure that when you get those 30s, 40s, you try and get on to a big one."
Stats
Jaiswal, Gill would be vying to bounce back
As mentioned, Jaiswal scored a magnificent 161 in Perth, which helped India gain a 1-0 lead in the series. He broke several records with this knock.
However, the left-hander has struggled ever since, recording scores of 0, 24, 4, and 4*.
On the other hand, Gill, who missed the Perth Test with injury, hasn't made any worthwhile contribution on the tour. He has scored just 60 runs across three innings.
Recovery
Sharma's knee injury, training session performance
Sharma, who recently sustained a knee injury, showed no signs of discomfort during India's final training session ahead of the big Boxing Day Test.
He batted for over half an hour, leaving spectators awestruck with his crisp shots.
Despite his recent injury, Sharma had a playful interaction with the crowd after removing his pads post-training session.
Pitch analysis
Observations on MCG pitch conditions
Sharma also shared his observations on the MCG pitch.
Unlike the previous matches where the wicket was dry, this one doesn't seem to be so.
The curator, Matt Page, has said that while there won't be too much seam movement on this pitch, it should provide an exciting contest for both the teams.