For months now, the liveliest debate over India’s T20I set-up has centered on one deceptively simple question: who should Abhishek Sharma open? The left-hander has sealed his place with commanding form and unwavering intent, yet the identity of his partner remains a point of national contention. Currently, vice-captain Shubman Gill is the preferred choice, although Sanju Samson, the man with three T20I hundreds in 2024, is watching from the periphery.
To understand how head coach Gautam Gambhir arrived at this decision, we need more than selection instinct; maybe an algebraic equation would explain why he stays married an out-of-form opener less than two months before the World Cup. Gill’s question has loomed over Indian cricket since the summer, but Gambhir has shown little desire to entertain the logic or statistics that stand firmly against his man of choice.
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Samson’s case is straightforward and compelling. Few players produce three T20I centuries in an entire career and Samson did it in a single year. His synergy with Abhishek at the top was one of India’s most exciting achievements in 2024. But come Asia Cup 2025, he found himself sidelined, relegated to the lower middle order and eventually benched. None of these roles suit his game or reflect the form he has shown.
Gill’s slump raises tough questions
Gill, meanwhile, has held his ground without producing the returns to justify such unwavering support. Thursday’s golden duck against South Africa in Mullanpur was the latest addition to an unpleasant pattern. He now has no fifty in his last 17 T20I innings. His struggles against Lungi Ngidi have only added to the sense of unease as he has now been dismissed twice in three balls in the entire series.
To say this is a sudden drop would be misleading. Gill’s T20I numbers were tepid even before the Asia Cup recall. He averaged 30.42 with a strike rate of 139.27. Respectable, but hardly irresistible. In comparison, Samson’s record as an opener reads like a strong case for promotion, with an average of 32.62 and a strike rate of 178.76, along with three centuries to Gill’s number one.
Still, when asked about Samson’s demotion, captain Suryakumar Yadav’s explanation did little to justify the decision.
“As for Sanju, yes when he came to the circuit he was batting higher up the order but Shubman played ahead of him in the Sri Lanka series so he deserved that spot,” Suryakumar said ahead of the Cuttack T20I. Sanju Samson has given great results as a T20I opener for India. (AP photo)
The logic was circular. Previous performances in the series cannot outweigh current form, nor can flexibility be used to justify pushing a natural opener into a role that neutralizes his strengths. It ignored an inconvenient reality. Both Suryakumar and Gill had memorable years.
Neither scored a fifty in 2025. Suryakumar, despite a brilliant IPL season earlier this year, averaged just 14 in 19 T20I innings. His highest score is only 47. Against South Africa he was equaled by Marco Jansen and departed for five, another example of his lack of rhythm and confidence.
This raises a larger question that India can no longer avoid. Should the current form trump the hierarchy? Gill has been earmarked for a long-term leadership role across formats and in Tests and ODIs, which may be wise. But imposing this projection on T20Is risks becoming an act of blind faith. Gill is a prodigious talent but is yet to make his mark in the shortest format in Indian colours.
Fear is not a lack of options. He worries that Gambhir has not shown much interest in exploring them. Samson has had success at the top and fits the modern T20 template much more naturally than Gill. His attacking range and pace perfectly matches Abhishek’s dynamism. At their best, these two can completely change the geometry of power plays.
Instead, Samson watches from the sidelines. India continues to insist on Gill.
India is running out of time
The timeline makes the situation even more urgent. India have three more T20Is against South Africa, followed by five against New Zealand in January. On paper, that’s plenty of time to assess personnel and finalize combinations. In practice, every Gill failure deepens the sense that India is ignoring the evidence before it.
Gambhir will have to make the call eventually. The World Cup does not wait for sentiment or long-term care projects. It requires clarity, ruthlessness and a willingness to put up a big name if the numbers insist. Time for Gambhir to talk to Gill? (PTI photo)
Shubman Gill may be rediscovering his touch and few doubt his long-term potential. But right now, Samson deserves the opener slot more. Sticking with an out-of-shape vice-captain at the expense of a player in top form is not a strategy; it’s stubbornness.
India can still course correct. However, if they continue on this trajectory, they risk entering the T20 World Cup with a top order based on hope rather than performance. And that’s the kind of miscalculation that can cost them when it matters most.
– The end
Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
December 12, 2025
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