Shubman Gill, India’s Test captain, last featured in a T20 international over a year ago. Yet his record-breaking run on the recent England tour and blistering IPL form have reignited debate over his recall for the Asia Cup squad, expected to be announced on Tuesday.
Gill amassed a phenomenal 754 runs in the five-Test series against England, including four centuries, while his IPL 2024 campaign for Gujarat Titans yielded 650 runs at a strike rate of 155.58. The opener hammered 24 sixes and 62 fours, reinforcing his reputation as a top-order powerhouse.
Former BCCI chief selector Sunil Joshi believes those numbers make Gill impossible to ignore.
Look at Shubman Gill’s white-ball numbers. He is a perfect fit to either play the anchor role or to take charge.
In 21 T20Is so far, Gill has scored 578 runs at an average of 30.42 and a strike rate of 139.27, with one hundred and three fifties.
Who Makes Way for Gill?
Despite his credentials, Gill’s inclusion would force tough calls. Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson have strengthened their spots in India’s white-ball core. That leaves Rinku Singh — talented but inconsistent — most vulnerable to exclusion.
Even then, fitting Gill into the top order would require reshuffling a settled batting unit led by Suryakumar Yadav.
Priyansh Arya – A Rising Star
Joshi also heaped praise on IPL breakout star Priyansh Arya, who made waves with his attacking style for Punjab Kings.
Arya smashed 475 runs in 17 IPL matches at a strike rate of 179.25, including a century and two half-centuries. His tally of 25 sixes and 55 fours underlined his ability to take on both pace and spin.
If you look at it, Priyansh has really played well. Why not give him a chance when he has done well! He scored runs against some of the best fast bowlers and best spinners as well.
The 22-year-old Delhi batter, bought for Rs 3.8 crore in the IPL auction, already boasts 1,048 T20 runs in 35 matches with a career strike rate of 172.08. He was also Delhi’s top-scorer in last year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Coach Gambhir’s Formula: All-round Depth
India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir has made it clear that multi-skilled cricketers are central to his T20 blueprint. With all-rounders like Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tilak Varma and Abhishek Sharma, the balance looks strong.
You need all-rounders in the top 5-6 batters who can bowl at least 2-3 overs to provide multiple options. Then you need pacers with variations and a spin attack combining finger and wrist spin.
This philosophy could limit opportunities for players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer, as well as challenge the case for specialist spinner Kuldeep Yadav despite conditions in the UAE.
The Selection Puzzle
With the Asia Cup scheduled in the UAE from September 9 to 28, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel faces tough choices. Will the selectors reward Gill’s consistency and Arya’s explosiveness, even if it unsettles a winning combination?
As Joshi points out, the decision may come down to whether India are willing to make an exception for players who bring proven quality, even if it means bold changes to the current setup.
Telecom Asia Sport's pick:
Probable 14: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohd Siraj, Varun Chakravarthy.
