Indian batter Shubman Gill once again found himself at the centre of criticism after a disappointing performance in the second T20I against South Africa in Mullanpur on Thursday. The vice-captain was dismissed for a first-ball duck, sparking concerns over his prolonged slump in the shortest format of the game. Gill, who was recalled to India's T20I squad ahead of the Asia Cup 2025 and handed the vice-captaincy, has been unable to repay the faith.
Meanwhile, to accommodate him in the playing XI, India pushed Sanju Samson down the order in the Asia Cup, and he was recently replaced by Jitesh Sharma in the South Africa T20Is. In the wake of Gill's latest debacle, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan expressed concern, highlighting Gill's struggle ahead of the T20I World Cup.
"Shubman Gill’s T20i form is a big worry ahead of the T20 World Cup. Hopefully he finds his touch soon, otherwise it could turn into a real catch-22 situation for Team India," Pathan wrote on X.
Gill’s form has been well below expectations since his comeback. In 14 T20I matches, he has scored just 263 runs at an average of 23.90, with a highest score of 47, and no half-centuries in this period. Samson, in contrast, as an opener, plundered 522 runs in 17 matches, including three centuries.