India's assistant coach, Abhishek Nayar, defended the decision to exclude Shubman Gill from the Boxing Day Test, highlighting strategic changes as the key reason. With Rohit Sharma reclaiming his spot as an opener, the team opted to strengthen its bowling lineup by including spin all-rounder Washington Sundar.
Gill, who recently returned from a finger injury, showed promise in earlier games but failed to secure big scores, including a duck in Brisbane. "It’s not about dropping Gill," Nayar clarified. "It’s just unfortunate how the situation unfolded. The team needed an off-spinner like Washington to bring balance, especially in these conditions."
Nayar explained that Sundar’s inclusion was aimed at countering Australia’s lower-order batsmen, such as Travis Head and Alex Carey, who have been consistently scoring. "With Washington and Jadeja, we felt we could add variety and control once the ball gets old," he added.
Though Gill had to step aside, Nayar assured that the decision was based on team strategy and not a reflection of his performance. For now, Rohit’s return at the top and the need for a balanced bowling attack took priority.