The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has fully invested in Shubman Gill. The batsman is, therefore, the captain of India in the three formats of cricket, Tests and ODIs, and T20Is, very soon. But, as a matter of fact, in the T20 format, Gill's statistics are far from being as impressive as his quick rise to the top would suggest.
Competition and pressure mounting on Shubman Gill
At present, Gill’s inclusion at the top of the order has sidelined two in-form openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson, both of whom boast stronger T20 credentials. Jaiswal has consistently impressed in both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and for India in T20Is, while Samson had formed a promising opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma before Gill’s return for the 2025 Asia Cup pushed him down the order.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes the upcoming India vs Australia T20I series will be crucial for Gill to silence his critics. “This T20I series will be extremely important for Shubman Gill. It’s important for him because runs weren’t scored when he was elevated to ODI captaincy. Again, you can’t read too much into it because it’s just been one series. I get that. So, it’s not like there is a question on his place,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Chopra added that with every low score, the scrutiny will only intensify. “People are breathing down his neck. One is in the team itself , Sanju Samson had opened and done well. You are keeping him with the team and making him bat down the order. Many times, it seems like you are being unjust to Sanju Samson. There is pressure if you are not making him open. Yashasvi Jaiswal is around the corner, saying he deserves a chance too. So, making Jaiswal sit out also becomes an issue of pressure,” he explained.
