Following a stellar run with the bat in the Test series in England, Shubman Gill was drafted into the Indian T20I team for the Asia Cup as the selectors underlined their vision for the batter to take over the reins across all formats.
Gill's inclusion, despite his modest returns with the bat in T20 Internationals, meant that Sanju Samson, who enjoyed a successful run as the opener with three centuries in eight innings, was unfairly shifted down the order.
Gill, who has taken over as the India captain in Tests and ODIs, has so far failed to make a mark in T20 Internationals.
Since making a comeback to the T20 team for the Asia Cup, Gill, who has batted at his preferred opening position, has struggled to tally just 184 runs in 10 innings -- averaging 23 at a strike rate of 146.03. He has failed to hit a single fifty, with a best of 47, while going past 30 just twice in 10 innings.
So far in Australia, he has scored 5 and 15 in the two innings in Australia, falling to pace bowlers both times.
| Gill's last 10 innings in T20 Internationals: 20 not out, 10, 5, 47, 29, 4, 12, 37 not out, 5, 15. |
In contrast, Samson has not enjoyed the backing of the team management and the selectors. The wicketkeeper-batter played a vital knock of 24 in a tense run chase in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan after being shifted to the middle order to accommodate Gill.
He got just one innings in Australia, falling for two in the second T20I against Australia at the MCG where except for Abhishek Sharma (68) none of the top six batters managed to score in double digits, after which he was dropped.
Samson had highlighted Captain Suryakumar Yadav and Coach Gautam Gambhir's role in the revival of his career last year. He was on the brink of losing his place in the Indian T20 team after two successive failures against Bangladesh before he roared back with two successive centuries against Bangladesh and South Africa in October-November last year.
'The communication you get during failures is important. I got a lot of tips from Gautam bhai and Surya to work on. They would say, your play against spin needs improvement. Get the spinners from Kerala and play on rough wickets. So if you have the Indian captain on call telling you what to work on, you have the confidence from the skipper that he wants you to do well. So all those small things plays a huge role,' Sanju had said.
With Jitesh hitting an unbeaten 22 from 13 balls in the third T20I against Australia in Hobart which India won by five wickets, it is difficult to see Sanju making a comeback to the playing XI.
Gill, touted as the next T20 captain, will keep getting more opportunities, while Samson looks set to continue on the bench.