After a successful tour of England as India’s Test captain, Shubman Gill is likely to be elevated as India’s T20I vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which starts on September 9 in the UAE, sources have told RevSportz. With Suryakumar Yadav set to be fit for the tournament, which will be played in T20 format this year, Gill is likely to deputise for him. This will not only mark Gill’s return to the T20I setup but also enhance his status as a growing leader in the Indian dressing room across formats.
Suryakumar has already started batting in the nets at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and is on course to achieve full fitness ahead of the Asia Cup. Meanwhile, Gill is set to make his first appearance in India’s T20I squad since featuring in the series against Sri Lanka in 2024. As Gill was heavily involved in the Test series against Australia and Bangladesh at home, alongside versus England, he was not picked for the shortest format to prioritise Test cricket. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson took over the opening slots.
With Gill’s return to the T20I fold imminent, it remains to be seen whether he will play as an opener or at number 3. Gill has also had three consecutive strong IPL seasons with Gujarat Titans, scoring 890 runs at a strike rate of 157.80, 426 at 147.40, and 650 at 155.88, respectively. Gill’s improved strike rate and the bulk of runs scored in the IPL, along with his growing stature as a leader, have pushed the think-tank to bring him back into the mix. Additionally, the slower surfaces in the UAE have strengthened the case for the Indian team management to consider a stabiliser, as a gung-ho approach could falter, especially against a team like Pakistan.
There is a growing consensus that Gill, who is also India’s ODI vice-captain, will eventually become India’s ODI captain in the coming years and is likely to lead the side in the 2027 ODI World Cup, to be played in South Africa. Whether the transition will happen immediately remains to be seen, but with Rohit Sharma, the current ODI captain, playing only one format and the IPL, mostly as an impact substitute, there are growing questions about his fitness and form. Rohit’s next assignment is scheduled to be India’s white-ball tour of Australia in October-November.
Moreover, when Gill was named captain of India C, in the Deodhar Trophy, in the 2019-20 season, there was confidence within the system that a leader was being groomed. Gill was just 20 at the time and broke Virat Kohli’s record as the youngest captain to lead a side in the Deodhar Trophy final. Gill’s India C team included big names like Suryakumar Yadav, Mayank Agarwal, Jalaj Saxena, Dinesh Karthik, Dhawal Kulkarni, and Axar Patel.
With Gill setting a high standard as Test captain, scoring runs, and leading a young Test side with aplomb, his growth as the new leader of the pack marks the start of a new era in Indian cricket.
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