India’s Test captain Shubman Gill got his spot back in T20I squad as vice-captain. Included in the T20 Asia Cup 2025 squad ahead of Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal, there is a chance that vice-captain Gill may be benched. India have two openers in Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson and it is yet to be seen whether Gill gets a direct entry into the playing XI or not. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar was asked the question in the press conference. He did not confirm Samson as Abhishek’s opening partner and said that a call will be taken once they get to Dubai, UAE.
“We will take the call on the best balance for the team. Once we get to Dubai, will have a bit more clarity. More options available now, Shubman has been in great form anyway last few months. So has Sanju. so two good options, along with Abhishek,” Agarkar said at the press conference in Mumbai on August 19.
Gill’s last T20I appearance was against Sri Lanka. He was a standby for T20 World Cup 2024 and led the second-string T20I team on Zimbabwe tour. Agarkar said that Gill wasn’t dropped but did not get opportunities as the focus was on Test cricket at the time.
"Last time when he played in T20s post World Cup, when we went to Sri Lanka, he was vice-captain. That's where we started new cycle for T20 World Cup. After that we got busy with Test cricket, and he didn't get opportunities. We're happy to have him,” Agarkar said.
Gill’s run in IPL 2025
Gill was in fabulous form as Gujarat Titans (GT) captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 25-year-old amassed 650 runs at an average of 50, including six fifties. His strike rate was impressive at 155.87.
Gill’s T20I career
In T20Is, he took just six innings to register his maiden century against New Zealand in 2023. While he had a record-breaking IPL season in 2023, his stocks depleted in 2024 in the shortest format.
From 21 T20Is, he has scored 578 runs at an average just over 30. He has one century and three fifties to his name. His strike rate in T20Is is just under 140.