Shubman Gill under 'pressure' in T20Is, told to cement his place before World Cup: 'I hope he performs well'

India have just won the ODI series 2-1, and now the focus shifts to the five-match T20I series against South Africa. The first match is scheduled to be played at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday, December 9. With the T20 World Cup 2026 getting closer, this series is very important for Team India and its players. A few of them are returning from injury breaks, and they must regain form quickly to help India maintain their favourites tag.

The upcoming World Cup, scheduled to begin in February, will be held in India, and Suryakumar Yadav and his team will have the responsibility of defending the title that Rohit Sharma’s side won in 2024. Shubman Gill is one of the players who is making a comeback after an injury, and he’s the vice-captain of the team too. He will be under pressure to perform well, especially with players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Priyansh Arya, and Vaibhav Suryavanshi waiting on the sidelines.

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🏏 @ShubmanGill completed his recovery at the BCCI Centre of Excellence culminating with skill and fitness training.

In this interaction, he reflects on the world-class facilities at the CoE and how it has shaped his formative years. #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/aoxMODnB11

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 8, 2025

Also Read: IND vs SA T20Is: Wicketkeeping conundrum, bowling depth and other areas Men in Blue need to focus on in series

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Irfan Pathan on Shubman Gill’s form

Former India cricketers and JioStar experts Parthiv Patel and Irfan Pathan spoke about India’s major talking points, including the pressure on Gill to secure his spot. “Shubman Gill should cement his place at the top of the order in T20 cricket. We believe in all-format players. We have seen how well he plays in the IPL. Now, he has a chance to cement his place in India’s T20 International side," Pathan said.

“There is a little pressure, but he is a good player. I hope he performs well in this five-match T20I series against South Africa. He is coming back from a small injury. He will get a lot of opportunities across five matches on good pitches. The pitches will have pace and bounce, like in Dharamshala, and he will love batting on them,” he added.

Parthiv Patel on how India should use Bumrah

Meanwhile, Parthiv Patel said India must think carefully about how they use Jasprit Bumrah in T20Is. He explained that India have been giving Bumrah three overs in the powerplay since the 2025 Asia Cup and even during the Australia tour. But if Bumrah bowls three overs early, then he has only one left for the death overs, which usually is the 19th over. Parthiv said that if this continues, then Arshdeep Singh will have to take more responsibility in the death overs.

“There are a few things I’m looking forward to. Number one is how India uses Jasprit Bumrah. India has utilized his three overs in the Powerplay since the Asia Cup and even in the Australia tour, that was the strategy. If they bowl him for three overs in the Powerplay, he only has one over left for the death, which is the 19th over. So, India will have to use him carefully. If they want him to bowl three overs early, then Arshdeep Singh has to partner Bumrah in the death overs,” he added.

Parthiv on Hardik Pandya’s comeback

He also talked about Hardik Pandya’s return to the team. Parthiv said Hardik did well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and is slowly coming back to form. He added that Hardik is very important because he contributes with both bat and ball and brings experience to the team.

“The comeback of Hardik Pandya is key. He did really well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He’s coming back into form, and he is an important player. He contributes with both, bat and ball. His presence in the lineup is crucial because he brings experience and also guides the youngsters. I am looking forward to his comeback,” Parthiv said.

Parthiv on Abhishek Sharma’s form

Parthiv praised Abhishek Sharma and said he is scoring a lot of runs and hitting many sixes. He was the top run-getter in the Asia Cup and also did well in Australia. He is currently the No. 1 T20I batter.

“Abhishek Sharma is the player of the season. He has been getting a lot of runs and hitting a lot of sixes. Can he continue this form? I think he can. He was the highest run scorer in the Asia Cup and on the Australia tour. He is also the number one ranked T20I batter. The runs from his bat at the top of the order will be crucial for India’s success in this five-match series against South Africa,” Parthiv said.

Irfan on India’s bowling options

Irfan also said he wants to see how India’s other fast bowlers perform along with Bumrah. He said Bumrah is the main bowler, but players like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube (as a part-timer), and Arshdeep Singh also have important roles. With the T20 World Cup only a few months away, this series will be a big test for the bowlers.

He further spoke about the finishing role in India’s batting lineup. Irfan said India need to find the right finisher alongside Hardik Pandya. He mentioned Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma and Rinku Singh as options. According to him, India must have strong lower-middle order players if they want to defend the T20 World Cup at home.

Catch all the action from the first T20I of South Africa’s tour of India, December 9, 7:00 PM onwards, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network