South African cricket legend AB de Villiers has come out in defense of Indian star Shubman Gill, who has been struggling during India’s ongoing T20 series in Australia. Gill, known for his elegant yet attacking batting style, has failed to deliver in back-to-back matches, but De Villiers believes there’s more to the story than poor form.
In his recent remarks, De Villiers suggested that Australia’s bouncy pitches could be one of the main reasons behind Gill’s struggles.
“Australia has good wickets, but maybe he’s just not fully accustomed to the kind of bounce they offer,” De Villiers said.
“Gill Is Human Even the Best Go Through Rough Patches”
Widely known as Mr. 360° for his all-round shot-making ability, De Villiers expressed empathy toward the young Indian vice-captain, calling this a temporary rough phase rather than a long-term issue.
“He’s human. We all want Shubman to score runs every day, but sometimes things just don’t go your way,” De Villiers explained.
He added that Gill’s class and leadership qualities will help him overcome this phase soon. “He’s a class player and a class leader. Every cricketer faces such moments, and I’m confident he’ll bounce back stronger,” he said.
De Villiers Believes It’s More a Mental Than a Technical Issue
De Villiers also analyzed Gill’s batting from a technical point of view but leaned more toward a mental challenge rather than a flaw in technique.
“I think it’s more mental than technical. If it’s something technical, he can easily fix it in the nets,” said De Villiers.
The former South African skipper pointed out that despite Gill’s recent struggles in T20 cricket, there is still plenty of cricket ahead of him, and it’s only a matter of time before he regains his rhythm.
A Phase, Not a Failure
While some critics have questioned Gill’s consistency, De Villiers’ comments bring much-needed perspective. Australia’s conditions are known to test even the best batters, and for a young player like Gill, still learning to adapt to different pitches worldwide this could simply be part of his growth process.
As India continues its tour, fans and experts alike will be watching closely to see whether Shubman Gill can rediscover his spark and justify the faith legends like AB de Villiers have shown in him.
