Samson, Jaiswal Are 'Breathing Down His Neck' - Gill Faces Heat Ahead of Australia T20Is

Former India opener Aakash Chopra believes Shubman Gill will need to make a strong statement with the bat during the upcoming five-match T20I series in Australia, starting October 29 (Wednesday), as Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal are “breathing down his neck” for a spot at the top of the order.

Gill made his return to India’s T20I setup after a year-long absence during the Asia Cup 2025, where he was reinstated as an opener alongside the world’s top-ranked T20I batter, Abhishek Sharma. Samson, who struck three T20I centuries in 2024, was demoted down the order, while Jaiswal, one of India’s most explosive openers in recent IPL seasons, was left out of the playing XI.

While Abhishek dominated the Asia Cup with consistent match-winning knocks, Gill managed just 127 runs in seven innings at an average of 21.16, failing to leave a lasting impact.

“This T20I series will be extremely important for Shubman Gill. It’s important for him because runs weren’t scored when he was elevated to ODI captaincy. Again, you can’t read too much into it because it’s just been one series. I get that. So it’s not like there is a question on his place,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel, as quoted by The Indian Express.

“People are breathing down his neck. One is in the team itself. Sanju Samson had opened and done well. You are keeping him with the team and making him bat down the order. Many times, it seems like you are being unjust to Sanju Samson. There is pressure if you are not making him open.

“Yashasvi Jaiswal is around the corner. He says he is also there and should also be played, and that he would also hit if he is played. So making Yashasvi Jaiswal sit out also becomes an issue of pressure.”

In 28 T20Is so far, Gill has scored 705 runs at an average of 28.20 and a strike rate of 141.28 - numbers that pale in comparison to Samson and Jaiswal, both of whom boast better records as openers in the shortest format. Chopra added that Gill missed an opportunity to prove his mettle in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, where India were chasing a modest 146.

“The truth is that the Asia Cup was also just decent. In the final, actually that was that kind of pitch and that kind of total where you look towards Shubman Gill and say that he should win the game, but he couldn’t win that game,” Chopra said.

“Let’s be fair, Shubman Gill has come with good form. He played well in the Test matches against the West Indies. He wasn’t seen playing badly here either. Maybe short of runs, if we see the last three games, but he doesn’t look out of form. However, there will be slight pressure on him.”