Dharamsala: A renewed debate over India’s T20 International opening plans has emerged following Shubman Gill’s golden duck in the second match against South Africa in Mullanpur. This incident has intensified scrutiny of the recent reshuffle that saw Sanju Samson removed from the opener position. The conversation is particularly pressing as it comes only months before the 2026 T20 World Cup, even as Samson has shown remarkable form during the latter half of 2024.
Gill, who returned to an opening slot during the 2025 Asia Cup after a year-long absence from the format, was appointed vice-captain. However, he has struggled to make an impact, failing to achieve a significant score during the powerplay. His recent performance includes a disturbing streak of 17 consecutive innings without surpassing fifty, marking the longest such drought for an Indian batter in T20I history. These difficulties have reignited discussions about the decision to disrupt a successful opening combination of Samson and Abhishek Sharma, both of whom had been performing well.
Samson had emerged as a key player for India after the 2024 T20 World Cup, scoring three centuries over a five-match stretch against Bangladesh and South Africa. His performance made him the first player to notch three T20I centuries in a single calendar year, stabilizing India’s top order before his removal. Former cricketer Robin Uthappa has publicly questioned the rationale behind management’s decision.
Uthappa remarked, “Suryakumar [Yadav] said Gill opened the batting before Sanju Samson got the opportunity to open. But once you have given him the opportunity, he scored three hundreds and did really well. He’s averaging one of the highest scores after Abhishek Sharma. He must be pondering what he has done wrong to be sidelined. Is there communication with Sanju Samson, where they’ve suggested, ‘We are going to try Shubman out for a few games, and if it doesn’t work out, you’ll jump straight back in’?”
As the vice-captain, Gill is expected to receive more chances before the team management considers reintroducing Samson or exploring other options, such as Yashasvi Jaiswal or Ruturaj Gaikwad, for the opening position.
