Shubman Gill (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images) Former Indian captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has come down heavily on the Indian team management for appointing Shubman Gill as the vice-captain of the T20I side, calling the move disruptive to the team’s balance and selection clarity. Gill, who returned to the Asia Cup after almost a year, has endured a lean run since returning to the format. In nine innings, he managed just 169 runs at an average of 24.14. Still, his role as surrogate for Suryakumar Yadav has effectively secured his place in the squad heading into next year’s T20 World Cup.
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Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth didn’t mean anything when he questioned the logic of the decision. “They won’t miss Gill for the next three games. They don’t care about anything else. He’s 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 him and build balance for the rest of the team. Is that a certainty or on what basis was he named captain?” said the former India opener. Srikkanth further argued that Gill’s automatic selection blocked opportunities for in-form players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was sidelined despite a strong record as an opener. He also noted that the lack of stability in the batting order has left players like Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma unsure of their roles. “Yashasvi Jaiswal is waiting in the wings. He’s not there in the team. With Gill’s inclusion, the overall balance has deteriorated so they’re not sure what to do. Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma don’t have a solid position and Arshdeep Singh is missing in the 11. “The only good thing is India’s escape so he’s in World Cup T2. Srikkanth praised Jaiswal’s talent and insisted that the young left-hander deserves consistent chances. “India have a lot of players like Abhishek. If players like Yashasvi Jaiswal get an opportunity, they will take it. But now he has no window where he can come into the side. Only Hardik Pandya can get into the 11 and no one else. Jaiswal has also come through the IPL and has an excellent record in all formats and the IPL. I am not sure why he is playing the same opportunities and I am not. He will destroy the bowlers at the top,” he added.
