Gill Feeling Pressure Because He’s Trying To Replicate Samson: Former India Opener

It was an anticlimactic return to the national side for vice-captain Shubman Gill as he lasted only two balls in the first T20I against South Africa in Cuttack. 

With no scores of 50 in 13 T20I innings in 2025, Gill has been feeling the pressure lately, and the fans have not been on his side as well, because his inclusion has come at the expense of Sanju Samson, who got forcefully pushed out as an opener despite posting 3 tons and forming a formidable opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes Gill has been feeling the heat also because he’s feeling the need to replicate Samson’s playing style at the top of the order. Notably, in the first T20I yesterday, the right-hander perished trying to be ultra-aggressive and carve Lungi Ngidi down the ground.

"India were also running close to 250-275. He is feeling the pressure of two things. Firstly, because Sanju Samson plays like that, he too should play like that because he has come in his place, and that is always spoken about," Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“What could be the reasons behind that? He is feeling slightly obliged. Sanju Samson was the player who was opening before him. Sanju Samson used to score runs at a strike rate of 175. He scored three centuries as well. Of course, he got out early as well, but has three centuries to his name and a strike rate of 175. You can't take that away from Sanju Samson.”

Chopra was left a bit puzzled by Gill’s tactics, which he felt were a bit uncharacteristic. Gill tried a high-risk shot on his second ball despite notching up a boundary on his first delivery.

"What is Shubman Gill trying to do? I ask this question because it seems like he doesn't play like this, but is trying to play like that,” Chopra asked.

“Why would he be doing that? It seems like he is too hasty to hit. The way he got out in Cuttack, he hit a four off the first ball, and then he jumped out and hit the next ball.”

At the same time, the former India opener asked fans to ‘cut some slack’ for the vice-captain, given this is his first game since his return from the neck injury he sustained in the first Test against South Africa. Since Gill’s soft dismissal last night, social media has not been kind to the team India opener, with many expressing their unhappiness over the right-hander’s presence in the T20I side.

“Social media must be on fire today as well, although you have to cut him some slack because he was playing his first competitive game since the neck sprain he had at the Eden Gardens. So you can be slightly undercooked. However, social media won't agree with that," Chopra said.