Recent Test captain Shubman Gill might soon have his first leadership experience in the T20I format, with the announcement of the Indian squad likely to be made on August 19 or 20 in preparation to play the Asia Cup 2025. The BCCI senior selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is to await the medical clearance report by the Sports Science team at the Centre of Excellence before concluding on the line-up. Among the injury notifications, skipper Suryakumar Yadav has started batting in the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, and Jasprit Bumrah is match-fit to feature in the Asia Cup. Nonetheless, amid busy schedules, Bumrah can be allowed off before the first test of the West Indies tour in mid-October.
Gill, fresh off his captaincy of India in Tests and an excellent series against England, 754 runs at an average of over 120, is also in the mix both as vice-captain and Axar Patel as well. Axar has vice-captained in the last home T20I series in India, but Gill was in the same position when Suryakumar first became T20 Captain in Sri Lanka last year. It has left the selectors with two options: either reward Gill due to the form he has shown or opt to stick with Axar in continuity.
The beginning line of the batting led by Suryakumar, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Hardik Pandya looks to have found its stability. Abhishek is now the highest-ranked T20 Batter at ICC, Samson has performed well with bat and gloves, and Tilak and Hardik are still regular middle-order players. This permanence of the top order also implies that, based on performance, players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan will have to wait to get opportunities. First choice in ODIs, KL Rahul would not likely be used in T20s because his inclusion would bring out the balance in the team.
In the wicketkeeping positions, it is almost inevitable that Samson will fill in the first place, with the reserve position being between Jitesh Sharma, whose finishing skills are praised in the IPL, and Dhruv Jurel, who was a part of the recent T20I series.
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