Shubman Gill’s T20I form continues to be a concern for India, despite his promising start in the ongoing series against Australia. The stylish opener played a fluent knock of 37* off 20 balls in the rain-hit first T20I at the Manuka Oval in Canberra, but his form dipped again in the second match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 31, where he was dismissed cheaply for just five.
Appointed as India’s T20I vice-captain ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup, the Punjab batter has struggled to convert potential into consistent performances.
Across his last nine innings in T20Is, Gill has managed only 164 runs at an average of 23.43 — a worrying figure for someone earmarked as a future leader. His inability to capitalise on starts has started raising questions about India’s top-order stability and the selection strategy around him.
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After India’s four-wicket loss in Melbourne, former India all-rounder and 2007 T20 World Cup winner Irfan Pathan analysed Gill’s struggles. He noted that while the youngster has leadership qualities and immense talent, he has yet to justify the consistent faith shown by the selectors.
“Coming to Shubman Gill — he replaced Sanju Samson, who had three centuries as an opener, to open for India in T20Is,” Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube channel. “Gill has potential and great leadership quality, but he has to perform. In his last ten innings, he hasn’t even reached 200 runs. The pressure will build because he’s getting chances but not converting them.”
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Pathan also hinted that Gill’s struggles could open the door for Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has been waiting patiently on the sidelines. “You have Yashasvi Jaiswal, a fantastic T20 player with a strike rate of 160 in the IPL. If he keeps sitting out while Gill fails to deliver, it’s not fair to him or the team. Gill needs to start scoring consistently, or else India will have to rethink its plans.”
With competition fierce and the T20 World Cup approaching, Gill’s next few innings could decide his future in the shortest format.
