Shubman Gill’s T20I Comeback: BCCI’s Bold Bet on India’s Rising Star as Future All-Format Leader
New Delhi: Shubman Gill is truly owning the cricket spotlight right now, and Tuesday’s Asia Cup squad reveal made that crystal clear.
Plenty of buzz surrounded the stylish batsman from Punjab’s Fazilka when he stepped onto the international stage during India’s 2019 New Zealand tour. After all, Gill had been a standout performer in the victorious U-19 World Cup squad the previous year.
It wasn’t long before he started delivering consistently at the senior level, both internationally and in the IPL, sparking inevitable parallels with batting legend and former captain Virat Kohli.
Jumping ahead to 2025, Gill stands at the pinnacle of the game. Remarkably, his fortunes have skyrocketed in just the last three months.
In May, Gill was appointed as Rohit Sharma’s replacement as Test captain following the sudden retirements of both Rohit and Kohli. He then shattered records in his debut series as skipper, batting at No. 4 and playing a pivotal role in securing a 2-2 draw for his side.
Now, at 25, he’s back in the T20I fold not just as a key batsman but as vice-captain, marking his return after more than a year away from the format for India.
Edging Toward Multi-Format Captaincy?
This decision underscores the team management’s and BCCI’s view of him as the heir apparent for captaincy across all formats. Tuesday’s pick is clearly a move in that direction.
Skeptics questioned his readiness when he was thrust into Test leadership, especially touring a challenging venue like England where he’d faced batting woes before.
But Gill shut down the doubters with a staggering 754 runs across the five-Test series only Don Bradman has tallied more (812) as a captain in a single series guiding his team through sheer example.
His command over England’s attack in that tour, coupled with strong IPL showings like in 2023 and his leadership stints with Gujarat Titans and the Indian Test side, solidifies his suitability for the role.
‘We’re Thrilled to Bring Him Back’
At Tuesday’s presser at BCCI’s Mumbai base, Suryakumar Yadav pointed out that Gill had previously served as T20 vice-captain before a packed Test schedule shifted his focus elsewhere.
“Last time when he played T20 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,” Surya explained during the conference.
Speculation swirled that Gill might be sidelined for the Asia Cup to preserve T20 team stability, given their impressive run of 28 wins in 31 recent matches.
Yet, with admirers like head coach Gautam Gambhir and selectors’ chief Ajit Agarkar in his corner, overlooking him for a major tournament like this was unlikely.
His spot, however, means tough choices elsewhere. Gill is expected to open with fellow Punjabi and U-19 teammate Abhishek Sharma, filling the order down to the lower middle, which could bench wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson for the Asia Cup and perhaps the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Samson hasn’t put a foot wrong he notched consecutive T20I tons for India last year, reaching three centuries in five innings overall.
India’s Depth Dilemma Resurfaces
Once again, Indian cricket grapples with an abundance of talent, a byproduct of a robust domestic setup, the IPL’s influence, and effective national team stewardship. This depth provides multiple game-changers for every role and format.
Back to Gill: his vice-captaincy might be short-lived. The BCCI could view Suryakumar as the T20 helm until the next World Cup, after which he might step aside for Gill, echoing Rohit’s Test handover this year.
“This squad announcement sort of tells you the mindset of the selectors. With the selection of Shubman, in time, he is going to be an all-format captain, and that’s where they are sort of positioning him,” former India and KKR assistant coach Abhishek Nayar commented on JioHotstar.
“Great pick, terrific player. I’m sure he’s going to follow the mindset of being attacking, having that approach. And I feel it’s going to be a very, very interesting next 12 months in Shubman Gill’s life.”
All that’s pending for Gill is the ODI arena and the 2027 ICC World Cup. Even with Rohit and Kohli eyeing participation Rohit likely as skipper it’s easy to imagine BCCI brass already picturing Gill in the captain’s role for cricket’s premier event.