Shubman Gill's progression persists: From a stellar Test performance to assuming vice-captaincy in the upcoming Asia Cup T20 matches.
The Indian selectors have made a thoughtful decision in appointing Shubman Gill as the vice-captain for the T20 squad in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. This move, which reflects both challenges and opportunities tied to Gill's leadership potential and form, comes after his impressive performances in the IPL and Test cricket [1][3][4].
The selection committee faced a classic dilemma on leadership in the shorter format, with Gill and Axar Patel as potential vice-captains. Despite Gill's relatively limited recent T20I experience, the selectors backed him for his perceived long-term leadership potential and consistent performances [1][3].
Gill's appointment, however, has been met with some skepticism due to his lack of recent T20I appearances. He has not played a T20I since July 2024 and has been primarily focused on Test cricket during his recent absence from the shortest format. This means that his elevation over other candidates like Axar Patel and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who have made impressive starts in international T20s, has come as a surprise to some cricket followers [1][3].
However, Gill's leadership credentials were bolstered by his role as India's Test captain and his excellent performance in the England Test series [2]. His win of the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for July 2025 further solidified his position [5].
The prospects for Gill as T20 vice-captain revolve around grooming him as a future captain in the T20 format. The inclusion aligns with a broader strategy to build a young leadership core, with head coach Gautam Gambhir supporting the decision and viewing the Asia Cup as a platform to integrate Gill back into T20 cricket and strengthen his leadership role [1][4].
Gill's consistent IPL performance, where he has ranked among top scorers over multiple seasons, underscores his value as a key batsman in the T20 setup [1][4].
The Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to begin on September 9 in the UAE, offers a significant opportunity for Gill to consolidate his position and justify the selectors’ forward-looking strategy [6]. The tournament will feature a clash against Pakistan on September 14, making it an exciting event for cricket fans [7].
Meanwhile, KL Rahul is unlikely to fit into the T20 set-up due to the middle-order structure [8]. Abhishek Sharma, currently the world's No. 1 T20 batter according to ICC rankings, is another player to watch out for [9].
The leadership choice for the upcoming Asia Cup will be one of the tournament's most intriguing subplots. Gill's appointment as vice-captain marks a natural progression reflecting his leadership promise and batting consistency, but the challenge lies in his relative T20I inactivity and the surprise selection over established T20 players [1][4].
References: 1. ESPNcricinfo 2. The Times of India 3. Cricbuzz 4. NDTV 5. Cricket Country 6. BCCI 7. Cricbuzz 8. ESPNcricinfo 9. ICC
- The Indian selectors have chosen to focus on developing young leaders, with Gill's appointment as T20 vice-captain being part of this strategy.
- In recent news, Gill has won the ICC Men's Player of the Month award for July 2025, demonstrating his consistency in both IPL and Test cricket.
- Despite his limited T20I experience, Gill has been selected as the vice-captain due to his leadership potential and outstanding performances in Test and IPL cricket.
