Was India trying to fix something that wasn’t broken?
“When people ask if Shubman Gill is in the T20 setup, it never makes sense,” former India fast bowler Varun Aaron said shortly after the Indian vice-captain hit 46 off 39 balls in India’s win over Australia in Gold Coast on Thursday.
Echoing this sentiment, Irfan Pathan said that Gill has a clear role to play in T20Is and he executed it perfectly on a pitch that was not friendly to the batsmen.
In the rain-washed fifth and final T20I in Brisbane, Gill looked even more active, smashing 29 off 16 to overtake his opening partner, world number one Abhishek Sharma. India were 52 for 0 in just 4.5 overs before the rain gods stepped in. Abhishek had an off day, falling twice and falling short of fluency, but Gill looked a million dollars at the Gabba where a fluid move game was rewarded.
Abhishek put it bluntly: the partnership with Gill was no longer fire and ice – it was fire and fire. Shubman Gill hit four boundaries in the same against Ben Dwarshuis. (AP photo)
Most teams in world cricket would have caught a batsman like Shubman Gill at the top.
But does the Indian T20I side really need him?
LESSONS FROM THE PAINFUL PAST
To answer, go back to when India looked dominant on paper but not on the scoreboard.
The T20 World Cup in 2021 and 2022 was a wake-up call. India had Rohit, Kohli and Rahul but the big trophy remained out of reach. The turning point came in the 2022 semi-final: India crawling to 168 for 6 on a flat Adelaide pitch. England chased it down in 16 overs without losing a wicket.
That night he flicked a switch in Rohit Sharma’s head.
He felt India were burning with fear, protecting the averages and avoiding risk in a format that punished caution. So he changed the culture. He struck from ball one and sacrificed his own numbers to set the tone. The rest of the lineup was given license to go hard.
How poetic Rohit Sharma, who decided to change his approach after the T20 World Cup SF 2022 outing against England, to impress by playing a crucial stroke with intent against the same team in the T20 WC SF 2204. pic.twitter.com/pLqfqBLzqC— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88criket) June 28, 2024
It worked.
- T20 World Cup 2024: Champions
- Champions Trophy 2025: Winners
When Suryakumar Yadav took over after Rohit’s retirement, he inherited the plan. Alongside Gautam Gambhir, he added even more spice to it.
OPENING PAIR OF ENGINES
At the heart of India’s new T20I dominance was the opening combination of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.
Abhishek broke the IPL. Samson was once again trusted and sent to attack.
Together, they have been a nightmare for bowlers in T20Is.
PartnershipshiftsHe’s runningAverageRunning speed50+ racksAbhishek-Samson12267229.821
Then came Abhishek-Gill:
PartnershipshiftsHe’s runningAverageRunning speed50+ racksStand 100+Abhishek-Gill1448637.389.7831 (vs PAK)
So the numbers say they are similarly effective, even slightly better on paper.
But where did these runs come from?
- Abhishek-Samson: 8 in India, 4 in South Africa
- Abhishek-Gill: 2 in Zimbabwe, 5 in Australia, 7 in UAE
Abhishek–Samson mostly batted on batting havens.
Abhishek-Gill broke into harder surfaces.
So why the debate?
A REAL PROBLEM
Since Rohit retired, India have used four openers: Abhishek, Samson, Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
PlayerMatchesHe’s runningHit rateAbhishek Sharma26988192Sanju Samson13417182Yahsasvi Jaiswal6221170Shubman Gill19502136
Here’s the problem: Gill’s strike rate is under 150 – non-negotiable in modern T20I cricket.
He is rumored to have portrayed the “starrer role of Virat Kohli”. But does India need an anchor when they bat powerfully and deep into No.8 or No.9?
This is where the domino effect begins.
WAVE EFFECT
Shubman has been forced into the mix since the Asia Cup, India’s batting order has had a big impact. It was less pronounced in the Asia Cup due to the quality of the opposition, but the Indian team was exposed against the other Australian side in the recently concluded 5 T20Is.
Here’s the ripple effect on the rest of the lineup.
When Abhishek and Samson were shooting:
- Tilak Varma did well in the top 4
- Suryakumar owned his slot
- Finishers like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh were given time in the middle
But Gill’s return pushed the order further. India tried to slot Samson into the middle order. Tilak and Suryakumar were already fighting for the No. 3 spot. But one of them had to bat down the order. Tilak, a bonafide top order batter, has been shifted to the middle order.
The biggest sacrifice? Samson.
In his third stint, he finally established himself as a reliable starter before being pushed into the middle order. He was even dropped in the Australian series recently to accommodate Jitesh Sharma, a more natural finisher.
Now the numbers show the difference.
Before Gill’s Return (July 1, 2024 – September 9, 2025)
PlayerHe’s runningshiftsHit rateAverageTilak Varma4139170.6682.60Abhishek Sharma41112200.4834.25Suryakumar Yadav16611146.9015.09Sanju Samson41712183.7037.90
From the Return of Shubman Gill (September 9, 2025 – November 7, 2025)
PlayerHe’s runningshiftsHit rateAverageTilak Varma247912641.16Abhishek Sharma45411185.3041.27Suryakumar Yadav1561013022.28Shubman Gill23011139.3925.55Sanju Samson1345121.8126
The story is simple, Tilak’s strike count has collapsed. So did Samson.
And here is the most telling statistic:
- Abhishek + Samson era: 200+ scores in 6 out of 12 matches
- Abhishek + Gill Era: 200+ goals in just 1 of 12 matches
India’s ‘fearless’ batting engine has slowed down.
SO WHAT EXACTLY DOES GILL OFFER?
Supporters say Gill brings solidity, someone who consolidates on harder pitches. But where is the evidence that Samson, Jaiswal or even Abhishek themselves cannot anchor when required?
There is no doubt that Gill is talented. He is one of the best batsmen of the modern era that India has produced and the management clearly sees him as a future captain in all formats. He has already been entrusted with the Test captaincy and recently took over the ODIs as well.
But is India asking too much?
If Gill is constantly being pushed to bat at a pace higher than his natural rhythm, does that create pressure? If the T20I upsets pile up, does that pressure leak into Tests and ODIs?
India punted with Gill at the top. Courageous. One that can deliver results on the surface – but risks damaging the DNA the T20I team has spent years carving.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
November 9, 2025
