'Generally, such a thing is not heard in Indian cricket' - Aakash Chopra opens up on Shubman Gill's request of change in batting order

Star India batter Shubman Gill was shifted in the batting order and was not seen opening alongside India skipper Rohit Sharma as the visitors began proceedings with willow in hand on Day 1 of the ongoing first Test in Dominica on July 12.

Yashasvi Jaiswal made his debut for Team India and opened the inning alongside Rohit Sharma. Former India Test opener Aakash Chopra has given his take on the change in Shubman's batting position and expressed surprise.

Aakash mentioned that he had put out a tweet mentioning that in due course of time, Shubman will come down the order. So far in the longest format of the game, Gill has had an average performance, with two hundreds and over 900 runs in 16 matches that he has played thus far. 

“Shubman at No. 3 - I am not surprised. If you remember my 2020 tweet, when he made his debut, that he will play for India for more than a decade but after a few years you will find him down the batting order and not as an opener. He has himself expressed that wish and he is batting at three and Yashasvi Jaiswal is opening," said Chopra on his YouTube channel. 

“Yashasvi Jaiswal was played as an opener because Shubman Gill went and told the team management that he wants to play at No. 3 as that is where he thinks he will do better. This is a very interesting thing," he further added. 

Chopra expressed that such a condition where an Indian cricketer is given his desired position has not been heard before and Aakash seemed quite surprised by the move as he pointed out that such cases do not happen in the Indian dressing room.

“Generally, such a thing is not heard in Indian cricket where a player goes and says that he likes to bat at a particular position and whether he can do that. Neither does anyone ask nor is anyone given that luxury," concluded Chopra. 

India look firmly placed in the ongoing Dominica Test against the Windies as they merely trail by 70 runs and have all their wickets intact.