Shubman Gill is back in India’s T20I squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, and this time, he returns as the vice-captain of the team. According to former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, this decision is a strong indication that Gill is being groomed to become India’s all-format captain in the future.
“Shubman Gill is the new vice-captain for India’s T20I team. What does it mean? It means that India is heading towards him being the all-format captain. He is the Test captain, will eventually be the ODI captain, and if he is the vice-captain of the T20I side, that means a future captain is being prepared,” Chopra said in a video posted on X.
Chopra also pointed out that Gill’s appointment as Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy has almost guaranteed him a spot in the starting XI.
“If he’s the vice-captain, he’ll play. He’s also likely to open. And if he opens, who will miss out? Sanju Samson might miss out on his place in the playing XI. This is the reason Jitesh Sharma’s name is in the team. Because you need a middle-order keeper-batter. So Jitesh has been rewarded for his wonderful performance in the IPL for RCB,” Chopra explained.
The former cricketer further reflected on some notable exclusions and changes in the squad. He expressed surprise at the non-selection of Shreyas Iyer. “There is no place for Shreyas Iyer. What does it mean? The reason might be that the team was selected based on slots,” he said.
On Axar Patel losing the vice-captaincy despite strong performances, Chopra added, “I also feel that it was a little unfair to Axar that he is suddenly not the vice-captain anymore. But that’s my opinion. Team looks fine though.”
For latest sports updates: Follow RevSportz