Shubman Gill, recently named India’s Test captain, created headlines in England by amassing 754 runs in the series, which included four centuries in five matches. His exceptional performance earned him the ‘Player of the Series’ title. Already a consistent scorer in ODIs with 2,775 runs and 22 scores above fifty in 55 games, Gill is now being considered for the upcoming T20 Asia Cup beginning September 9.
India’s first match is against the UAE on September 10. Several media outlets have hinted that Gill could return to the T20I side and may even serve as vice-captain. Reports also suggest that he could take over as ODI captain once Rohit Sharma steps down. In IPL 2025, Gill collected 650 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate close to 156, hitting six fifties and finishing as the fourth-highest run scorer. Many see him as a long-term all-format star for India.
Gill’s Current T20I Standing
Selecting the final squad is not simple. During the last major T20I event—the 2024 T20 World Cup—Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were still playing, with Gill travelling as a standby. Since then, injuries and a packed schedule have affected T20I line-ups. Gill’s last T20I appearance came in July 2024 when he captained a younger side to victory in Zimbabwe. That year, he made 266 runs in eight T20Is at an average of 38.00 and a strike rate of 133, with two fifties. Overall, his record stands at 578 runs in 21 innings at an average of 30.42, a strike rate above 139, with one hundred and three fifties.
In July, he was Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy in T20Is but was later rested to focus on Tests. Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma stepped up as India’s main top-order batters. Gill did not play in the T20I series against Bangladesh, South Africa, or England. After a tough Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he shifted his focus to the ICC Champions Trophy and played ODIs against England, while Axar Patel took the T20I vice-captain role.
Rivals for the Top Order
The Asia Cup final will be held on September 28, and just four days later, the West Indies Test series begins, making the selection even trickier. The selectors also need to keep the 2026 T20 World Cup in mind. Since their last T20 WC win, India has dominated in bilateral series, winning 17 out of 20.
While Gill was away from T20Is, Abhishek Sharma impressed with 279 runs against England at a remarkable strike rate of 220, including a 135 off 54 balls. Though Samson’s numbers dipped slightly, he struck three hundreds in five innings against Bangladesh and South Africa. Since the T20 WC, Abhishek has scored 1,363 runs in 40 innings with a strike rate above 198, along with four centuries and six fifties. Tilak Varma has made 1,200 runs in 32 innings at an average of 50.00 and a strike rate over 153, with three centuries and five fifties. Samson, opening with Abhishek, has scored 908 runs in 30 innings at a strike rate above 157, with three hundreds and three fifties.
Suryakumar Yadav has managed 1,107 runs at an average of 36.90 and a strike rate of 161.13 but has struggled to maintain form. Gill’s record since the T20 WC includes 893 runs in 22 matches at an average of 47.00 and a strike rate over 147.
Jaiswal’s Strong Numbers
Yashasvi Jaiswal, like Gill, last featured in T20Is in July 2024. India relied on him mainly for Test matches, where he scored 391 runs in Australia and 411 in England. In T20Is, he served as the reserve opener during the last T20 WC because the team preferred Rohit and Kohli to open. Jaiswal has 723 runs in 23 T20Is with one hundred and five fifties at a strike rate over 164. In the last domestic and IPL season, he scored 559 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate close to 160, hitting six fifties.
If the Abhishek-Samson pair continues as openers, both Gill and Jaiswal may struggle to find a starting place. With only 15 players likely for the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup, fitting in all four — Abhishek, Samson, Gill, and Jaiswal — will be hard, especially as the team also needs backups for other positions. Samson has an advantage because he is also a wicketkeeper.
The Big Call for Selectors
The decision might depend on who of Gill and Jaiswal the selectors think would have a greater influence at the Asia Cup. Whichever player gets the nod could be central to shaping India’s top order for the next T20 World Cup.