Opinion: Is Shubman Gill's inclusion in T20I squad justified?

Shubman Gill is the vice-captain of India’s T20I team.

Shubman Gill was recently made the Indian T20I vice-captain after missing most of the 2024 season in the format. He controversially replaced Sanju Samson at the top of the order, despite the Kerala batter scoring three T20I centuries in 2024.

He is regarded by some as the next great thing in Indian cricket because of his grace, poise, and ability to anchor an innings with dignity. He hasn’t yet demonstrated his value in the smallest format for others.

The question of whether he has accomplished enough in this format or if his selection was based more on promise than performance has been rekindled by his inclusion in India’s T20I team.

Shubman Gill’s record with the bat in T20 format

Shubman Gill made his T20I debut for India in 2023 and became the fastest Indian batter to score centuries in all three international formats, thanks to his 126* against New Zealand. He has played 33 T20Is, scoring 837 runs, including three fifties to go with that century, at an average of 29.89 and a strike rate of 140.43. He has hit 92 fours and 26 sixes in his T20I career.

However, Gill has fared well in the Indian Premier League (IPL), making his debut in 2018 for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and flourishing for Gujarat Titans (GT), joining them in 2022. He currently captains GT and has scored 3866 runs in 118 IPL games, at a strike rate of 138.71, including four centuries and 26 fifties.

He was the highest run-getter in the IPL 2023 season, scoring 890 runs with three centuries and four fifties at an average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 157.80.

Should Shubman Gill be in India’s T20I team?

Shubman Gill is a proven match-winner and is probably getting opposition from fans and experts just because his inclusion in India’s T20I team led to Sanju Samson losing his opening position and probably spot in the squad.

Gill has a strong technical foundation for his batting. Although some consider it a disadvantage in T20 cricket, it actually gives him an advantage on difficult pitches. He can adjust to various match circumstances and play both pace and spin with control.

Gill has already proven to be one of India’s most reliable young batsmen in both ODIs and tests. Selectors may think it’s only a matter of time till he replicates that success in T20Is because his form and confidence in those forms frequently carry over.

Shubman Gill was also named India’s T20I vice-captain as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selectors see him as a potential future captain, taking over from Suryakumar Yadav, who will turn 35 next year and possibly after the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 tournament.

Why is Shubman Gill not the best bet for India’s T20I team?

Shubman Gill is yet to score a fifty in T20Is since becoming the vice-captain of the Indian team. His best score has been 47, which came in 2025 Asia Cup Super Four game against Pakistan. His inconsistency has been the biggest flaw of his otherwise spotless batting report card.

In recent T20I cricket, Shubman Gill has played more of an anchor role as the opener of the Indian team, and his strike rate has suffered as a result. With only 20 overs to play for and six overs of powerplay in the modern age of T20 cricket, where the overs are to be maximized, Gill’s strike rate of 130 is not suitable with the bat.

However, the biggest thing that goes against Shubman Gill is that he has, according to the fans and experts, undeservedly taken the opening spot from a more deserving player in Sanju Samson. Not only this, but the competition for spots in the Indian top order has heated up thanks to multiple players wanting to stake a claim.

To keep his position, Gill must outperform them not just in terms of elegance but also in terms of outcomes and strike rate efficiency. However, with the BCCI designating him vice-captain of the Indian T20I team, he is practically untouchable in the playing XI.

In conclusion, Gill’s T20I adventure is still underway. He’s too talented to be written off, but the moment has come for him to put his potential into consistent performance. Shubman Gill must demonstrate that he can keep up with India’s rapid T20 development.

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