Gargi Raut, Dubai
Since the start of the Asia Cup and in the preceding month, the question arose – Would Shubman Gill be slotted into the T20 setup? What role would he take on after being named the captain of the Test team? Would Suryakumar Yadav continue at the helm of the T20 setup or would Gill be the next all-format captain? Questions after questions.
When RevSportz team went live in India’s first practice session ahead of the India-Pakistan clash, several comments came pouring in about how Gill was looking.
The answer was simple – whether Gill was named the T20 captain or not, he would continue giving his hundred percent in every practice session. Having followed him closely since India’s tour of England, Gill has meticulously planned practice sessions, and even though the format may have changed, his intensity hasn’t.
On Friday at the ICC Academy, Gill went through his routine practice, defence and leaves now replaced by precision long hitting. He spent upwards of an hour in the nets, batting against India’s quality pace attack. He hit clean sixes around the park, with some shots landing close to where the media was seated. He did a 360-hitting session with some powerful and clean strokes that were pleasing on the eye.
🚨 Shubman Gill has carried himself with composure. Through the high-octane Anderson-Tendulkar trophy and now the tense Asia Cup.
How has the deputy been looking so far? Listen in to the details.@BoriaMajumdar @gargiraut15 @ThumsUpOfficial @ShubmanGill #AsiaCup2025 #INDvsPAK… pic.twitter.com/NbUpYpXPko
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) September 13, 2025
Following his nets, he took off his pads and headed towards T Dilip, India’s fielding coach, along with Rinku Singh. As always, his body language oozed confidence. While the atmosphere around the ground was sombre, considering the context of the next game, it was clear that the Indian management wanted to keep the spirits high. And even though the players will definitely feel the pressure against Pakistan on Sunday, they will focus on putting their best foot forward.
There’s a new yet positive energy to the dressing room. Suryakumar keeps the bond with the players light-hearted and while Gill is as composed as ever, the camaraderie between the captain and his deputy is a positive sight. There could easily have been a clash of egos. After all, Gill was just returning from a gritty fightback against England, and a series drawn 2-2. But rather, what we have been observing from Gill is maturity beyond his years.
On Sunday, Gill will have a huge responsibility to take on. With a fearless yet audacious hitter, Abhishek Sharma, at the other end, the deputy will have to make sure that he anchors the innings and takes the game deep. While India are the favourites heading into the clash, Pakistan cannot be underestimated. Their bowling lineup has the ability to take apart India’s top order. But Gill at the top, someone who loves to bat long, could be the game-changer for the team. Will the 26 year old rise to the occasion with a calm, match-defining knock, or will he crumble under the pressure of this unprecedented India-Pakistan showdown?
For all updates on the Asia Cup, follow RevSportz