Shubman Gill inches closer to leadership role in India's Asia Cup squad: ‘Who takes over after Suryakumar Yadav…’

Shubman Gill is inching closer to landing a leadership role in India's T20I side for the Asia Cup 2025, slated to be played in the UAE next month. This, after he did not feature in India's last three T20I bilaterals against Bangladesh, South Africa and England. There are two reasons behind the selectors seriously considering drafting Gill back into India's T20I side, not only as a batter but also as a leader. India players Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill(PTI)

Firstly, India never picked a 'full-strength' T20I squad since they won the World Cup in the West Indies in June last year. Gill was not a part of that squad but he was named captain of the young side that toured Zimbabwe immediately after the triumph in the Caribbean. He was also India's T20I vice captain in the Sri Lanka series but as the pressure of other formats (mainly Test cricket) grew, the selectors decided to take Gill away from the shortest format.

Gill was not picked in the Indian T20I side for the home series against Bangladesh. There was no sign of him when the team toured South Africa and hosted England at home. In his absence, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson scored centuries for fun at the top of the order.

That is where the problem now is. After what Gill achieved as captain of a relatively inexperienced side in the five-match Test series in England, it was always going to be difficult to keep him away from any other format, especially when an important multi-nation tournament like the Asia Cup is around the corner.

According to a Times of India report, the ones in power are in favour of one captain for all formats. Since Suryakumar Yadav has done nothing wrong either as a batter or as captain in T20Is, there is no reason for him to be replaced immediately but Gill's entry in the leadership group is more or less guaranteed.

India's Test captain could return to India's T20I side for the Asia Cup as the vice-captain.

‘The messaging has to be clear about who takes over after Suryakumar Yadav’

Apart from Gill's staggering achievements in England—he scored 754 runs in five Tests—what could also work in his favour is the Indian cricket team's tendency to trust one face for all formats.

"Indian cricket has usually leaned towards captains across formats who can cater to the market forces and bring substantial brand value. That Gill has become a major brand can’t be ignored," the report added.

"There’s no reason why Gill should not get a leadership role in T20. The messaging has to be clear about who takes over after Suryakumar Yadav,” former India selector Devang Gandhi told TOI. “Unlike other countries, split captaincy doesn’t work in India in the long run because you crave stability in the thought process. When you have a prolific all-format player leading in one format, it becomes difficult not to hand him the same responsibility in the other format. Gill has ticked all the boxes as a batter. And he has led in IPL,” Gandhi reasoned.

Former India keeper Deep Dasgupta said Gill will be groomed as an all-format captain for the future.

“Sanju Samson has done well. But he struggled against a full-strength England team at home. That was the only series under Surya where India played a top international full-strength team. Gill can play the role of Kohli who can take the innings deep in high-pressure tournaments. He has IPL performances to back him. On slower pitches in UAE, one must have that kind of player. Going by how Agarkar’s panel has worked, the planning will be beyond the Asia Cup. If they need to groom a captain for the future, they will have to decide if Axar Patel is above Gill."

The selectors are likely to name India's Asia Cup squad in the middle of next week.

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