Shubman Gill included in India’s Asia cup squad for ‘marketing and business’ purpose - Robin Uthappa

Shubman Gill replaced Axar Patel as India’s T20I vice-captain for Asia Cup 2025.

Shubman Gill’s inclusion in the Indian squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 has raised quite a few eyebrows. On top of that, Gill has been named the vice-captain of the Indian T20I team, replacing Axar Patel. He will be Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy for the continental event that begins on September 9 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Shubman Gill was recently named the Indian test team captain after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the format in May. Gill led the Indian team well as they drew the five-match test series 2-2, with wins in Edgbaston and at The Oval.

The focus will now shift to T20I cricket as the Indian team prepares for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Shubman Gill last played a T20I for India against Sri Lanka in Pallekele in 2024.

Shubman is going to be a superstar to take the game forward: Robin Uthappa on Gill’s inclusion in the Indian team

Former Indian batter Robin Uthappa claims that this was not just because of cricket. Robin Uthappa claimed that Shubman Gill’s selection has caused problems for Team India in a video that was uploaded on his YouTube channel.

He claimed that this was just another instance of India supporting a player who is a superstar in all three formats. He continued by saying that the commercial and marketing aspects of things were taken into consideration when he was hired.

“They have caused an issue for themselves by bringing Shubman into this whole process of including him in T20 cricket. But I also think from an Indian cricket perspective, at all kinds of eras, you have always had superstars, and they have backed a particular player for the sake of Indian cricket, and I think that narrative is continued to be followed right now,” Uthappa said.

“I think the marketing and business narrative also takes precedence, and I think that is also a part, which is why he is also brought in. You want certain superstars to take the game forward. Shubman is going to be one of them,” he added.

Shubman Gill has so far played 21 T20Is, scoring 578 runs with one century and three fifties with an average of 30.42 and a strike rate of 139.27. His highest score is 126*, and Gill was the youngest Indian to hit a century in all three international formats.

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