Kevin Pietersen slams Shubman Gill over abysmal performance in IPL 2021

Former England batsman Kevin Pietersen has slammed Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) opener, Shubman Gill, for an abysmal show in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Pietersen, while talking on Star Sports, called Gill "lazy" for not showing enough intent at the crease. Pietersen said that he still believes Gill is a fantastic player, adding that "I love to watch him, but he seems just so lazy". Gill has failed to perform consistently for KKR this season, getting out cheaply on several occasions. 

"Let's talk about Shubman Gill for a moment because I think he is an amazing player. I have been watching him for quite some time now and I think he needs to get a little busy in the middle. He just seems so lazy as some of the dismissals were really low-level and it looks like he is in a hurry. He needs to spend some time at the crease and be a little bit proactive. he is just too lazy at the moment. he is getting out on balls being pitched on his legs. he needs to start hitting those balls. There should be purpose when he comes out to bat," Pietersen said on Star Sports. 

Gill has played 7 games in IPL 2021 so far and has managed to put just 132 runs beside his name. Gill has scored at an average of 18.85 with a strike rate of 117.85 and his highest score being just 43 runs, which he hit against the Delhi Capitals. The 21-year-old cricketer had come to the IPL on the back of a poor Test series against England, where he failed to make a mark as he did in his debut series against Australia earlier this year. Gill was a member of the 2018 U-19 World Cup-winning squad, where he was the highest run-scorer for India and was adjudged the player of the tournament.  

KKR in IPL 2021

As far as the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) is concerned, the team is hanging at the bottom of the points table, having lost 5 out of the 7 games that the franchise has played so far in the tournament. KKR has 7 more games to go before the commencement of the playoff stage and the side will look to make the most of the remaining matches. KKR is slated to lock horns against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in its next game of the season tomorrow. 

(Image Credit: PTI/AP)