Team India is currently in the West Indies featuring in the ongoing two-match Test series. The visitors have already won the opening game of the series by an innings and 141 runs with several players turning out to be the star for the side. Meanwhile, ahead of the second Test, India's batting coach Vikram Rathour has named a youngster who can take up the mantle of the Indian batting in future and also play in all three formats for the country.
Rathour believes Shubman Gill has a lot of potential and has no doubt that he will be a regular in the playing XI across all three formats soon. Gill's numbers outside Asia in Tests have come under the scanner after he recently failed at number three against West Indies. However, Rathour reckons that the 23-year-old has a lot of time and noted that he will soon come good thanks to his hardwork and temperament which are the hallmark of a great player.
"He has a lot of potential, and he has reached that potential as well in other formats. He has also made runs in Test cricket. Sometimes it might take a bit of time in a particular format, and he is taking that time, but he has that time. The potential that he has, I have no doubt that he is the future of Indian team in batting. He will play for the Indian team for a long time, in all three formats," Rathour said in a press conference ahead of the second Test against West Indies.
"He is taking some time but the good thing is that there is no dearth of hardwork, he is working out on things. And along with potential he also has the temperament, which makes one a big player. Again, there's no doubt that he'll play all three formats for a long time," India batting coach added.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was the hero for India in his debut Test scoring a massive 171 in the first innings and Rathour was hugely impressed with the youngster's adaptability to the format. Vikram Rathour liked the way Jaiswal moulded his way of playing according the Test format despite plundering runs at will in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
"I've been a selector before, so whenever you pick a player you should pick him with the intent that he will play for India for the next 10 years. He definitely has the potential. For me the most important thing (even though) I haven't worked with Yashasvi before, was that I had seen him scoring runs at the IPL, you saw how dynamic a batsman he is, the kind of stroke-player he is. But he managed to change the game according to the situation of the team.
"On the second day he scored some 20 runs off 90 balls before Lunch. I think that for me was the highlight of the innings. Somebody who is able to do that, who can play against his character, his normal game, get through that phase and then score big runs, it was phenomenal to watch. Absolutely no doubt that he has great potential and great future with the Indian team in all three formats," Rathour further said.
