Shubman Gill to be groomed as India’s next T20 captain?

Indian cricketer Shubman Gill has been selected as the deputy to current T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav for the upcoming Asia Cup. With Yadav about to turn 35, selectors and head coach Gautam Gambhir feel the need to groom soon-to-be 26 year old Shubman Gill as the next captain in the format.

Gautam Gambhir joined the selection meeting on Tuesday online and it was agreed that Shubman was the right fit as captain in the upcoming years since he showed promise as Test captain.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and selection committee agreed to groom Shubman Gill as the next T20 captain

The selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar selected Shubman to be a part of the T20 squad for the first time in 2025. The skipper will likely be a part of the playing XI of the Asia Cup, set to take place from September 9 to 28 in the United Arab Emirates.

Suryakumar Yadav reflected on Shubman Gill being appointed as deputy for the Asia Cup saying, "He was the vice-captain when we played in Sri Lanka (last year). But after that, he was busy with Test cricket".

Shubman had been preparing for the coveted Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia last year which had made him miss the T20I series in South Africa in November. He could not be part of the T20 series against England which played out home due to a minor back injury. The selection committee was of the opinion that if he had not missed out on the T20 series, he would have retained his position as the vice-captain.

Despite the misses, the committee has been impressed by his abilities to lead. Add to this, his run-scoring ability, has made him one of India's top batsmen. Ajit Agarkar appreciated the youngster saying, "We obviously see some leadership qualities in him, and his form in England was what we were hoping for. (He) exceeded all our expectations, which is a great sign when there’s so much pressure as captain."

Interestingly, Shubman Gill was not the first choice to be vice-captain in T20 and the committee spent a long time to arrive at the decision. They were looking for a long-term replacement for Suryakumar Yadav and a young gun like Shubman Gill, with promise and dedication seemed to the right candidate to invest in.

With a rock solid leadership, India will look to emerge as champions in the Asia Cup.

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