Accommodating a batsman of Shubman Gill’s calibre into an already well-set T20 side is expected to be the biggest challenge for India’s selection committee when it meets on Tuesday to finalise the 15-member squad for next month’s Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
The continental tournament, scheduled from September 9 to 28, comes at a time when Gill, who recently enjoyed a prolific Test series in England, finds himself not seamlessly fitting into the T20 line-up.
For Ajit Agarkar and his fellow selectors, the task will be to address what some describe as a problem of plenty.
Indian cricket currently boasts a T20 talent pool deep enough to offer three or four options for every slot, with around 30 players ready for national duty. For the top three batting positions alone, six contenders of similar pedigree are in contention.
While Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma impressed over the past season, Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal and IPL Orange Cap winner Sai Sudharsan are equally strong candidates.
The bowling department faces similar congestion. Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi are competing for one spot, while Yuzvendra Chahal, once considered indispensable, continues to be overlooked. The selectors, however, can name only 15, forcing tough choices.
The debate extends beyond batting and bowling slots. One senior member of the team management believes it would be unfair to drop consistent first XI players to make room for bigger names.
Others argue that Indian cricket benefits from having one all-format captain, and Gill, with his growing stature, represents that future. Yet the transition is unlikely to be seamless.
Under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, the Indian T20 side has built an 85 per cent win record, claiming 17 of its last 20 matches — all without Gill or Jaiswal.
Before their Test commitments, both were integral to India’s T20 setup and had impressive IPL stints. Gill even served as Suryakumar’s deputy before stepping aside due to workload, with Axar Patel later taking over.
If Gill returns to the T20 squad, questions over leadership will resurface. Axar, who has performed steadily, may feel undermined should Gill reclaim the vice-captaincy.
Gill’s inclusion would also put pressure on the batting order, possibly sidelining Sanju, Abhishek, Tilak, or even big-hitter Rinku Singh, who has not featured prominently during head coach Gautam Gambhir’s tenure. Gambhir, known for his preference for all-rounders, does not favour the concept of a specialist “finisher,” further complicating selection.
The pace attack appears more straightforward. With Hardik Pandya providing a strong seam option alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, the contest is for the reserve slot.
Harshit Rana is seen as the frontrunner, with Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Siraj earmarked for red-ball formats. Bumrah may be rested for the upcoming home series against the West Indies to allow Prasidh and Siraj game time.
Among spinners, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav are expected to lead the line, with Washington Sundar likely to find favour given Gambhir’s focus on utility players.
Though conditions in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are not expected to mirror the worn pitches of past tournaments, spin will remain a decisive factor.
In the finishing and wicketkeeping roles, injuries have limited options. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rishabh Pant remain sidelined, paving the way for Shivam Dube as the second seam-bowling all-rounder behind Pandya.
The backup wicketkeeper position is between Jitesh Sharma and Dhruv Jurel, with Jitesh’s finishing abilities for Royal Challengers Bengaluru during their IPL-winning campaign giving him an edge.
As the selectors weigh their options, the Gill conundrum stands at the heart of a broader challenge: how to strike the right balance in a squad brimming with talent, yet constrained by numbers.
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