During the ODI series against Australia, the major storyline was the return of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to the Indian team – and rightly so. They have been box office draws for so long and this was their farewell series. Amidst all the media frenzy surrounding the two men, one of the side plots of the series was Shubman Gill captaining the ODI team for the first time.
The 26-year-old has been on the rise in Indian cricket since his debut. They were years of brilliance and a couple of years where his place in the side – particularly in Tests and T20Is – came under scrutiny. Gill always let the bat do the talking and proved his critics wrong. But in this ODI series, there seemed to be another layer of pressure on the Indian star.
This was also reflected in his performances. Gill scored 43 runs in three matches and apart from the third ODI never fully adapted to the Australian conditions. Plus it looked like he was playing in Ro-Ko’s shadow.
This was something Mohammed Kaif hinted at after the second ODI, suggesting that Gill may be feeling guilty after replacing Rohit as captain. Similarly, former selector Kris Srikkanth said Gill’s body language indicated he was under pressure.
“He’s probably also putting pressure on himself after England’s performance. He shouldn’t be doing that and playing his game. He actually played well today but he just got an excellent delivery from Hazlewood. More than Shubman Gill getting out, it was the wicket that got him. But he seems to be under pressure, just watching his body language as he was replaced by Srik Rohit when captain Sharma also replaced him. YouTube channel.
Now it’s a hard reset for Gill as he dons the T20I jersey and becomes the team’s vice-captain. He still has a lot to prove as he tries to cement his place in the setup.
LESSONS FROM THE ASIA CUP
Gill’s inclusion in India’s T20I side raised eyebrows, with many seeing it as a mismatch. He’s known as a more classic player who relies on timing rather than raw power – almost like you’d want Roger Federer to play Rafael Nadal’s aggressive, power-based style.
We’ve seen Gill deviate from his natural game to be more aggressive on a few occasions and that didn’t work at the start of the Asia Cup as he was dismissed cheaply in the first match against Pakistan and then against Oman.
Once he was back to his usual self, the results followed – he scored a 28-ball 47 in the second match against Pakistan.
This will now be Gill’s first time facing Australia in this format and he has never played a single T20I down the stretch. Given his struggles during the ODIs, the Indian vice-captain needs to stay true to his approach – piling on the runs rather than fully embracing the ‘Skyball’ mantra.
LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER
It is no secret that there are several contenders for this T20I opener slot. Many believe that Sanju Samson was unfairly displaced to make way for Gill. Then there is Yashasvi Jaiswal who seems to be on the fringes of white-ball cricket.
Youngsters like Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya keep knocking on the door with intent, meaning Gill faces a lot of competition for his place. Srikkanth also pointed this out and hinted that Jaiswal should have been given a chance in Australia.
The former coach believes this only increases the pressure on Gill and urged him to stick to his natural game.
“And on the other side, everyone is asking why Yashasvi Jaiswal is not playing. It all adds to the pressure on him. But he will overcome it because he is a fantastic player. He should just play his normal game because he has the right steps and shots. He is just getting out, that’s the only thing. So once he plays some big shots at home against South Africa,” Skan’ said again against South Africa.
Now that Kohli and Rohit are back home, Gill will get more attention and time to express himself. But with that comes renewed scrutiny of his place in the side. To block out the noise, he needs to do what he has always done – let the bat do the talking, keep the runs flowing and stake a claim for a World Cup spot at home.
– The end
Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
October 28, 2025
