August 20, 2025

Get ready, cricket fans! Shubman Gill is not just playing; he’s leading India towards a bright future. Known as a potential captain across all formats, Gill is now back as the vice-captain of the Indian T20 team for the Asia Cup starting September 9 in the UAE. The big news came when Suryakumar Yadav, India’s current T20 captain, expressed his excitement about having Gill as his deputy. "We are happy to have him," said Suryakumar. Gill last played a T20 for India in July 2023 but has been dazzling big-time in Tests, even becoming India's new Test captain. His return to the T20 squad is a powerful message from the selectors: they see Gill as the future leader after the reigns of Suryakumar in T20s and Rohit Sharma in ODIs. Not part of India’s winning squad in the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean last year, Gill made a brilliant comeback after impressing in the IPL and leading India strongly during the tough Test series in England. Suryakumar explained, "After the last T20 World Cup, during the Sri Lanka tour, Gill was vice-captain. But then, he got busy with Tests and the Champions Trophy. Now, he is back." Meanwhile, Jitesh Sharma has grabbed his chance solidly as India’s second wicketkeeper alongside Sanju Samson. His fantastic IPL performance for Royal Challengers Bangalore helped him return to the national stage. "He has really earned his spot," said Suryakumar, praising Jitesh's rise after the last T20 World Cup. What about the young pacer Harshit Rana? There was some debate about his selection but the captain fully supports him. "Harshit Rana has played really well in the IPL. He was the man of the match in his last India game and proved his skills," Suryakumar added, though Rana might warm the bench behind Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh during the Asia Cup. India has a packed T20 calendar ahead of next year's World Cup at home, with 15 more games lined up after the Asia Cup. Suryakumar summed it up perfectly: "It is the first big tournament after last year's T20 WC. It's a good tournament to test ourselves. Lot of T20s after this also. The journey starts from here." So, buckle up! With Shubman Gill’s leadership magic returning and fresh talent like Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana backing the team, India’s cricket fireworks are about to light up the Asia Cup stage!

Read More at Economictimes →

Tags: Shubman gill, Asia cup 2024, Suryakumar yadav, Indian cricket team, Jitesh sharma, Harshit rana,