Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has opined that the team management would have to take a call on Shubman Gill’s place in the T20I side if he fares poorly in the remainder of the IND vs SA T20I series. Ever since his return to the shortest format in the Asia Cup 2025, the vice-captain has simply failed to deliver with the bat at the top of the order, with his form now becoming a cause for concern for India with the T20 World Cup fast approaching. Ashwin has reckoned that while it would be impossible to drop Gill in between the ongoing series, a decision needs to be taken going ahead if failures persist.
Should Gill be dropped from T20Is?
In a video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin noted that it would be a tough decision for the Indian team management to drop Gill from the XI since he was the vice-captain. He noted that it wouldn’t make sense to bring in Sanju Samson in between the series as Shubman has been picked and hence the vice-captain should be given a fair run. However, Ashwin claimed that a decision would have to be made if Gill fails in the last two T20Is.
“I am a little concerned. Shubman is not only the opener but also the vice-captain. How will you remove the vice-captain? It is going to be an incredibly tough decision. If you have to take that decision, inside this series you can’t bring [Sanju] Samson because it does not look nice to drop the vice-captain. You can ask whether vice-captains have been dropped in the past or not. But he has been taken and should be given a fair run. If he does not perform in the five games, then a decision will have to be made,” Ashwin stated.
It has been 18 innings in T20is since Shubman last scored a half-century in the format. His last half-century came against Zimbabwe way back in 2024. In the ongoing series against SA, he has registered scores of 4, 0 and 28 in 3 games, with his last knock coming off 28 deliveries.
Gill replaced an in-form Samson at the top of the order, forcing the Kerala batter to initially play in the middle order after which he was left out of the playing XI. Samson was the only Indian batter to score three centuries in T20is in the previous calendar year while playing as an opener and was removed from the role only to accommodate Gill.
“The only question is, if Shubman doesn’t make the runs, should he be there or should Samson be playing. The only unfortunate thing from here on I do not want to see is Gill making runs at a lesser strike rate. That should not happen,” said Ashwin.
