Shubman Gill’s T20I Form Under the Scanner

The South Africa Series Dip

The ongoing T20I series between India and South Africa is currently level at 1-1, but the focus has shifted to the disappointing form of India’s top order. In the second T20I on Thursday, India failed to chase a massive target of 214. A major concern in both matches has been the performance of opener Shubman Gill. He scored a poor 4 runs off 5 balls in the series opener and was then dismissed for a golden duck (out on the first ball) in the second game, edging the ball to the slip cordon.

The Long-Term T20 Slump

Gill’s recent failures are part of a broader T20 International slump that began in mid-2023. While his overall T20I statistics are decent, featuring a strike rate of 140 and an average of 28 over the last 30 innings, many critics feel this is not explosive enough for an opening batsman, especially with the 2026 T20 World Cup approaching. Crucially, Gill has not scored a fifty for India in his last 17 T20I innings, only crossing the 30-run mark three times since his return to the squad in September.

Pundit Concern and Selection Pressure

The continued low scores have created significant pressure on the young vice-captain. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan called Gill’s poor performance a “big worry” for the team. This concern is amplified by the fact that the talented Sanju Samson had to be dropped from the playing XI to make space for Gill. With the series decider set for December 14 in Dharamsala, some pundits are now urging the team management to consider replacing Gill with Samson as the opener.Captain Suryakumar Yadav Also Struggling

Adding to India’s worries is the form of captain Suryakumar Yadav. Once the world’s top-ranked T20 batter, Suryakumar has also been struggling. He was dismissed early in the second T20I, continuing a difficult run where his average has dropped sharply. While Suryakumar publicly backs Gill, calling him a valuable three-format player, the low scores of both the captain and vice-captain are a growing concern for the Indian team as they prepare for future World Cup campaigns.