Asia Cup 2025: Shubman Gill's elevation a natural progression in India's scheme of things
The selection of Shubman Gill as vice-captain of India's T20 team for the Asia Cup is neither a surprise nor out of place.
Barring the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), when he didn't play his full quota of matches and finished 12th among the top-scorers that year, Gill has either topped the batting charts in the T20 league in the remaining seasons over the last five years or has managed to figure in the top five.
In fact, when he top scored in the 2023 edition with 870 runs, it was only second to the most number of runs ever scored by a batter in the IPL — 973 runs in 2016 by Virat Kohli. It was Gill's season with the bat and the rest were merely spectators soaking it all in.
India Asia Cup squad: Why Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill are biggest talking points
The kind of aggression, consistency, approach and leadership that Gill has managed to show in the last few years of the IPL — the single-biggest platform that allows the selectors to do their T20 math before putting together a good team — didn't leave Ajit Agarkar and his team with much of a choice but to bring him in.
In a squad of 15, there was no chance of leaving the man aside.
But then there are those who might ask, why the vice-captaincy? Has Gill done enough to slip into the leadership role in the shortest format, or is it a natural extension of the role he's acquired in Test cricket, where BCCI's possibly indicating that he could be India's future all-format captain? Is Gill set to follow MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and be the fourth in line very soon?
23 years and 146 days
23 years and 146 days - Shubman Gill's age when he scored his only T20I hundred, against New Zealand in Ahmedabad on February 1, 2023, making him the youngest Indian to score hundreds in all three formats in international cricket.
Well, now that we've concluded that his selection in the team is by no degree an unwarranted one, let's move on to understanding why his elevation as vice-captain in not unwarranted either.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
The 5 Books Warren Buffett Recommends You To Read in 2025
Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List
Undo
As much as the sport derives traction from the field, there's a lot that happens off it also that keeps the Indian cricket ticking — revenues, broadcast, sponsorships, fan engagement and more. Every now and then, when broadcast rights or sponsorship slots go on sale, the cricket board ends up burning the midnight oil trying to figure the right value.
In any kind of value creation, only brand and consistency matter. From the days of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, to 2007 when India struck the T20 goldmine and MS Dhoni emerged, to 2015 onwards, when Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma singlehandedly moved the brand needle in Indian cricket to the next level — there's always been a face that Indian cricket could identify with.
Poll
Will Shubman Gill become the future all-format captain of India?
Definitely
Possibly
Unlikely
In 2024, 'who next?' was the question that began to pop up inside BCCI boardrooms. It is in search of this space that the cricket board began identifying Shubman Gill. It wasn't some random out-of-the-blue selection hunch that elevated him to Test captaincy earlier this year. It isn't some random selection hunch that's elevated him to T20 captaincy either.
Tuesday's selection had a massive future connotation to it.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
9 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Krishnamachari Srikkanth on India's 2025 Asia Cup squad: ‘There is no chance of winning the T20 World Cup with this bunch…'
India will look to defend their T20 World Cup crown next February. The showpiece event is co-hosted in both India and Sri Lanka, and before that, the side has an opportunity to test their strengths in weaknesses in the upcoming Asia Cup in the UAE. Former Indian chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth opined that while this set of players might end up winning the Asia Cup, they might not win the T20 World Cup coming up. 'We might win the Asia Cup with this team, but there is no chance of winning the T20 World Cup with this bunch. Are you going to take this team to the World Cup? Is this the preparation for the T20 World Cup, which is hardly six months away?' Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. Srikkanth also questioned the Indian batting order. 'Who will bat at No. 5? Five has to be either Sanju Samson, Jitesh Sharma or Shivam Dube or Rinku Singh. Hardik Pandya usually bats at No. 5, so now, Patel Axar cannot bat at six. I can't understand how they picked Dube. Yashasvi Jaiswal have performed in international cricket and IPL as well. What does he do?' Gill returned to the shortest format for the national team since June 2024. The India Test captain recently guided the team in against England in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy where they tied the series 2-2. Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal, however, missed out while Kuldeep Yadav came back into the team after missing the England T20I series at the beginning of the year. Big-hitter Rinku Singh as well as pace star Jasprit Bumrah was also included. However, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that this won't be the final selection for the T20 World Cup 2026. 'We have had a nice break…We are trying to look after him: Agarkar said on Bumrah's workload management. Talking about Jaiswal, who was a standby, Agarkar said, 'he will have to wait.' 'We have lovely players around with amazing skills which makes my job easier,' Surya said. Full squad: Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (WK), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh Standbys: Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
NDTV
9 minutes ago
- NDTV
ICC Breaks Silence After Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma's Names Go Missing From ODI Rankings
The ICC rankings published on Wednesday created a flutter around the cricket world as the ODI list did not have the names of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Both the Indian cricket superstars have retired from Tests and T20Is. ODI is the only format that they are still active. In the midst of this, Kohli and Rohit's missing names started a speculation on social media that they might be on their way out from the ODI format too. However ICC has now clarified that it was a technical glitch that saw Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma's named missing from the ICC list. "A number of issues in this week's rankings are currently being investigated," the ICC told Wisden. Later, both the names were added. Rohit is currently ranked No. 2 while Kohli is no. 4. Meanwhile, India wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has slipped to third place in the latest ICC ODI rankings for bowlers released on Wednesday with South African tweaker Kehsav Maharaj reclaiming the top position. Maharaj regained the top position after helping his team beat Australia by 98 runs in the first ODI of their three-match series in Cairns. The 35-year-old left-arm spinner, who was named Player of the Match after grabbing five for 33, overtook Kuldeep and Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana to the top spot, which he had earlier held briefly in November and December 2023. Apart from Kuldeep, Ravindra Jadeja is the only Indian bowler who is in the top 10 in the updated list. The Indian team has not played an ODI match since their title triumph in the Champions Trophy. West Indies fast bowler Jayden Seales was another one to make huge inroads in the bowling rankings after his superb haul of six for 18 in the final game of their three-match series against Pakistan, moving up 15 spots to 18th position. Pakistan leg-spinner Abrar Ahmed (up 15 places to joint-39th) and West Indies off-spinner Roston Chase (up five places to 58th) are others to move up the list.
News18
18 minutes ago
- News18
Sanju Samson Warned After Shubman Gill's Appointment As T20I Vice-Captain: 'Place Under Threat'
Last Updated: India named a 15-man squad for the next month's Asia Cup which will be led by Suryakumar Yadav with Shubman Gill named his deputy. Despite not playing T20I for India for over a year now, Shubman Gill has made a comeback as the team's vice-captain for the next month's Asia Cup in UAE. On current form, Gill merits a place in the squad but it has raised a pertinent question: At what spot will the 25-year-old bat in? Gill has been batting as an opener for his IPL franchise Gujarat Titans as an opener ever since joining them in IPL 2022 and has been scoring bucketful of runs and was the Orange Cap winner in 2023. His inclusion as a vice-captain means Gill will be part of the playing XI and either of the two openers – Abhishek Sharma or Sanju Samson – will have to sit out. However, on Tuesday, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar dropped a major hint that it will be Samson who may have to give up his spot despite his terrific run as T20I opener for the past year or so. And legendary India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin is confident that Samson will be dropped. 'What will make it sadder is that you have announced Gill as the vice-captain, so Sanju Samson's place is also under a little threat. Sanju is not going to play. Shubman Gill will play – him at no. 3 and Sanju opening will not happen either. Gill open the batting. Jitesh Sharma has done so well," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash Ki Baat. While Gill made a comeback, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer were ignored. 'Congratulations for Shubman Gill for becoming the vice-captain, a happy day for the Gill household. If I was Jaiswal and Shreyas, I would count myself extremely unlucky," Ashwin said. 'I understand Shubman Gill's selection; he's the vice-captain and scored a lot of runs for the Gujarat Titans in IPL. He has credentials to be picked in the T20I setup," he added. Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma has been recalled after playing a key role in Royal Challengers Bengaluru winning their maiden IPL earlier this year. For Ashwin, the wicketkeeper-batter has earned his spot. 'I am really happy for Jitesh Sharma – a well-earned place. He played a clutch knock for RCB against LSG. You have to remember that finishing is not an easy job. You need to have power and used to hitting fours and sixes at will plus you need to clever in picking which bowler to target, whom to play safe, which areas of ground to target, reading wicket. In that regard, Jitesh has played roles in a very tough position. So very happy for him," he said. view comments First Published: August 20, 2025, 18:19 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
