 "World Cup-winning India player questions Shubman Gill’s place in T20 team: 'Overall balance has gone for a toss'")
Shubman Gill’s appointment as the vice-captain of the Indian T20 team has not gone down well with many people. Former India opener and ex-chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth is among those who believe the decision to give Gill the role was not the right one.
Srikkanth has strongly criticised the team management’s decision, claiming it has disrupted the balance of the side. Gill is being seen as someone who could replace Rohit Sharma as captain across all formats.
With Suryakumar Yadav taking charge of the T20 team after Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format last year, Gill was appointed his deputy ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. Suryakumar is expected to lead the side until the 2026 T20 World Cup, after which Gill is likely to take over, just as he did in Tests and ODIs.
Gill, however, has struggled for form in T20s, scoring just 169 runs in nine innings at an average of 24.14. He failed in the second T20I against Australia as Indian batting collapsed under pressure. The former World Cup-winning player believes Gill’s inclusion in the team has denied an opportunity to someone like Yashasvi Jaiswal.
“They won’t drop Gill for the next three games. They are not worried about anything else. He is the vice-captain for the T20 World Cup, that’s fixed now. It’s also fixed that he’s the future T20I captain. So they have to play with him and build the balance for the rest of the side. He’s a certainty or else on what basis has he been appointed the vice-captain?” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Yashasvi Jaiswal is waiting in the wings. He’s not there in the team. With Gill’s inclusion, the overall balance has gone for a toss so they aren’t sure of what to do. Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma don’t have a fixed position and Arshdeep Singh is missing out on the 11. The only good thing is the T20 World Cup is in India so they’ll escape,” he added.
Srikkanth backs Jaiswal
Srikkanth further backed Jaiswal to succeed if given the same long rope as Gill. He admitted that it’s now too late for Jaiswal to come into the side with the World Cup just a few months away.
“India has a lot of players like Abhishek. If players like Yashasvi Jaiswal are given an opportunity, they’ll utilise it. But now he has no window to come into the side. Only Hardik Pandya can come into the 11 and nobody else. Jaiswal also came through the IPL and has an outstanding record in all formats and the IPL. I am not sure why he isn’t playing with a brilliant IPL and T20I record. Give him the same opportunities, he’ll destroy bowlers at the top,” Srikkanth added.
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