The announcement of India’s squads has always been synonymous with suspense and spectacle. This time around, all eyes are on Shubman Gill. After a thriving IPL season and leading India as a Test captain, Gill is back, presumably as India’s T20I vice-captain for the Asia Cup 2025 series. This is quite the story for a 25-year-old who was on the chopping block a few months ago. So why has Gill been installed as Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy, and what does that mean for India’s campaign? Let’s analyse.
Gill’s Redemption Story
Not long ago, Gill’s T20I prospects seemed murky. He had the chance to see Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma in action across the recent series in Bangladesh, South Africa, and England. He also had the blistering campaigns from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer in the IPL, as Gill’s strike rate was being questioned. But cricket can always take a turn. Gill went and made 650 runs in IPL 2025 at a strike rate just shy of 156 while taking the Gujarat Titans to the playoffs, but ultimately it was not only about the runs—Gill was adaptable, Gill had added more gears to his game, Gill showed he could keep up with what T20 cricket demanded in these modern times. This vice-captaincy in the Asia Cup does feel like more of a stamp than a statement: Gill has certainly made it clear that he is part of India’s T20.
A Leadership Duo to Watch
Suryakumar Yadav at the helm, supported by Gill as vice-captain, makes for a fascinating leadership setup for India. Suryakumar is flashy, instinctive, aggressive, and expansive in his approach. Gill is calm, smart, analytical, and strategic. A little fire and a little ice. India may need that equilibrium in important and high-pressure situations. Don’t forget, Gill gained a feel for captaincy in England’s Test series earlier this year, where he demonstrated maturity beyond his years. His IPL leadership with Gujarat will further polish this quality. While Suryakumar lights up the scoreboard, Gill could operate as the guiding mind, ensuring stability and direction in the middle passage. For a tournament like the Asia Cup, where inevitable pressure games abound, this variance could be currency!
What This Means for India’s Setup
Gill’s promotion also points to larger selection issues. In spite of excellent IPL form, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer face the harsh reality of exclusion. Again, India’s management has chosen a leaner pool of all-rounders and more specialists. With Bumrah back as the lead pacer and Kuldeep and Varun Chakaravarthy providing spin variety, it becomes even more critical for Gill to perform as an opening batsman confidently and steadily. The team’s performance may depend on whether he and SKY can hold the top while Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya go ballistic later.
Shubman Gill’s evolution from being under scrutiny to vice-captain is indicative of the pace of things changing in Indian cricket. His selection is more than a question of form – it is India putting its faith in a young leader, who they can count on to shoulder the responsibility for years to come. The Asia Cup will tell us if it’s a gamble that pays off, but one certainty is that Gill is no longer fighting for a place; he is now influencing the direction of this team.
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