While Suryakumar Yadav has been ably leading India’s T20I team, new Test captain Shubman Gill’s superb form at the recently-concluded five-Test series in England could create doubts in the minds of the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee regarding the captaincy aspect when the selectors sit to pick the team for the upcoming T20 Asia Cup to be played in UAE next month (September 9 to 28).
Former national chief selector Chandu Borde, however, reckons it’s too early to hand the T20I captaincy reins to Gill. “Shubman is a good batsman and Test captaincy did not affect his batting, but T20Is is a different format, and Suryakumar has been performing well in T20Is, so how can you ignore him? Suryakumar has been handling the Indian T20I team very well and has succeeded. I think he should be continuing as captain at the T20 Asia Cup,” Borde told mid-day over the phone from Pune on Thursday.
Gill has age on his side
Suryakumar led India to a 4-1 win in a five-match T20I home series in January-February this year. However, former national selector Surendra Bhave feels the current selectors may think about appointing Gill as T20I skipper, keeping the long-term aspect in mind. “Shubman is enjoying captaincy and it seems to be working for him. Surya is already our T20I team captain and if they [selectors] are confident that [34-year-old] Surya will be able to lead at the next T20I World Cup [in February next year in India and Sri Lanka] then they should continue with him as skipper for this . But if they want to move forward and pick a young captain, then [25-year-old] Shubman could be made the T20I skipper. Shubman batted well in England without taking any pressure. He showcased some fine leadership skills [during the Test series] too, so it’s possible that the selectors may hand him the T20I captaincy,” said Bhave.
Chandu Borde and Surendra Bhave
Borde and Bhave, however, agreed that Agarkar & Co could also find it difficult to pick the opening batting combination given there are so many contenders. Opener Gill scored 650 runs while leading Gujarat Titans to the IPL-18 Playoffs. His last appearance in a T20I was a year ago, when he scored 37-ball 39 while opening the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal against Sri Lanka in a tied match at Pallekele on July 30, 2024 Sanju Samson and Sai Sudharsan (top-scorer in IPL-18 with 759 runs) are the other contenders for the opening positions.
Abhishek, Gill can attack
Bhave wants Gill to open the innings with Abhishek, who smashed a 54-ball 135 as India outclassed England by 150 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in his last T20I in February 2025. “Abhishek and Shubman are both attacking batsmen. Shubman did exceedingly well in the Test matches [against England]. He’s more than capable of changing his tempo for T20Is,” Bhave said.
However, Borde, a former India and Maharashtra skipper, felt that the selectors should also look at additional abilities which a batter can bring to the table. “All the batsmen have performed well and are in good form. So, the selectors will have to strike the right balance. When there are so many specialist batsmen, the selectors should look at other aspects where these players can contribute to the team’s cause. For example, if someone is an outstanding fielder among them and can contribute more through this aspect, then he should be picked,” said Borde.
The third tough selection headache could be in the wicketkeeping department. “ Jitesh Sharma and Dhruv Jurel have all had good performances, but since Samson has the most experience, his chances are bright,” Borde added.
Meanwhile, Bhave, also a former Maharashtra captain said backed Jitesh: “Jitesh is more destructive in T20Is, can win matches single-handedly and is a good finisher. Compared to other ‘keepers, he’s a more dynamic batsman, making him the better choice for T20Is.”
05
No. of T20I games Shubman Gill has captained India in. He has won four and lost one
22
No. of T20I matches Suryakumar Yadav has led India in, winning 18 and losing four