WTC Final: Shubman Gill cannot always play on front foot, says Sanjay Manjrekar

India's opening batsman Shubman Gill has to stop depending on his front foot play all the time, former batsman-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has said.

Gill has scored 28 and 8 in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand at the Rose Bowl Stadium, Southampton. As per Manjrekar, Gill is getting surprised by the ball coming into him because he is focussing on getting on the front foot for the pitched up deliveries.

"He will have to work on his footwork, something that is obvious for everyone to see. He is getting outside the crease to the ball that leaves him and then the ball coming back in becomes a problem.

With Shubman Gill it's always the front foot. Right through this Test match not once have I seen him going back. He is really focussed on making sure he doesn't get out to the ball that is pitched up. There was a lot of talk in Australia of his front pad not going far enough and him getting caught in the crease so he is working excessively on that," Manjrekar was quoted by ESPNCricinfo, as saying.

The 21-year-old batsman was trapped in front of the stumps off Tim Southee's ball that was swung into him on Day five on Wednesday.

"Today (June 23) again he got caught up in making sure that front pad is across and worried about the outswinger. He left some balls beautifully but then the one that came back in surprised him," he said.

In the same interview, Manjrekar went on to insist that he has seen the same with other Indian batsmen including No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara and skipper Virat Kohli.

"It is the kind of footwork where you see from batters when you are playing in Australia in grounds like Adelaide where the ball just shoots along the ground. In that case, come what may, you have to come on the front foot. You see that with Pujara, with Gill, that is Virat Kohli's basic game. I am a little sceptical if it is the right way to go about to be on the front foot all the time (in England)," Manjrekar further added.

India were bowled out for 170 in the second innings on Wednesday, setting a target of 139 for New Zealand with 53 overs to go.