Shubman Gill’s path to being a reliable all-format player for India seems to be picking up speed, especially now that he has been named vice-captain of the T20I team for the forthcoming Asia Cup. This move shows that the selectors really like the young Test skipper and are betting on him to be the long-term leader of Indian cricket in all forms.
It’s interesting that Gill got the job because he wasn’t the first choice. The Indian Express says that several members of the selection panel wanted to keep Axar Patel, who had been the vice-captain for the T20I series against England. The report says, though, that the “overall mood at the selection meeting was that it’s better to invest in a player who is likely to serve Indian cricket for a long time.” This evident strategic choice led to Gill being chosen over Patel, even though Gill had missed a number of T20 matches because he was busy with Test and ODI cricket.
The selectors had to make some painful decisions because they were focused on developing a team for the future. Gill took the place of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had recently impressed. Ajit Agarkar, the chief selector, said that it was sad that Jaiswal was left out because there was so much rivalry for spots, especially with Abhishek Sharma’s great results and the fact that he could also bowl part-time. Jaiswal has been picked as a reserve, which shows that the selectors still want him on the team.
Ajit Agarkar said that the team management would make the final judgment about whether Gill’s new role guarantees him a spot in the playing XI. “The coach and captain will decide what is best for the team. We will have a better idea of what to do when we get to Dubai. There are now more choices. Shubman has been playing really well for the last couple months, anyway. Sanju has too. He said, “So two good choices, plus Abhishek.” This means that Gill is a strong candidate, but the final order of the best players will depend on how the club plans to play each match.
Agarkar also talked about how hard it was to leave Shreyas Iyer off the team. The main selector said that there was no room for him on the 15-member team. “We can change that about Shreyas.” Again, it’s not his fault, and it’s not ours either. Agarkar said, “We can only pick 15, and right now he might have to wait for his chance.” This shows how tough the competition is for India’s batting skills.
The BCCI’s head selector’s choices and comments show that they have a clear, long-term plan. The selectors have made a strong statement by making Gill the vice-captain of the T20I team. This solidifies his role as a leader in all forms and makes sure he is fully involved in the team’s future preparations in all formats.