New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS): Former India opener Wasim Jaffer feels that Shubman Gill needs to work on a few technical aspects including the footwork while batting to achieve continuous success at the highest level.
One of the most technically sound players of domestic cricket, Jaffer advised Gill not to play the fuller-length ball from the deep crease. "Gill has a tendency of playing deliveries from deep inside his crease. And it will increase the chances of getting leg before," Jaffer said.
"I think he needs to be ready for those fuller balls. He does go very deep into the crease and plays it from there, but it's all about getting his head forward to the ball. Sometimes he just hangs back a bit even to the fuller balls and then throws his bat at the ball. That is something he does not need to do," Jaffer said.
Jaffer's comments came after the young batter was dismissed by Kyle Jamieson after a well-compiled half-century in the opening Test against New Zealand in Kanpur.
Earlier, Gill survived when hit plumb on pads by Ajaz Patel in his innings as none of the New Zealand players appealed convincingly.
Later he played on Jamieson to cut his innings short at 52, including five fours and one six.
"He needs to be ready for the fuller balls. He goes deep in his crease and likes to play the backfoot shots. But he opens the batting in IPL, opens the batting in white-ball cricket, and all the junior cricket he has played has also been at the top order, so if he wants to play in the middle order, it is something he needs to work on and get better at. Because that is the length international bowlers will bowl," Jaffer told ESPNcrincinfo when asked about the technical changes Gill required to bat in the middle order.