Since August 2023, Gill has scored just one half-century from eight T20Is, scoring 133 runs at an average of 16.
With Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting on the sidelines, Shubman Gill's position as Rohit Sharma's opening partner is in danger. Not only for the opener's slot, but Gill's place in the playing XI itself could be in trouble as his barren run continued.
It was expected that Jaiswal would open alongside Rohit in the first T20I against Afghanistan at Mohali on Thursday, January 11, 2024. But Jaiswal was missing from the playing XI even after Coach Rahul Dravid sounded confident on the eve of the opener that Jaiswal would open alongside Rohit.
As per BCCI, Jaiswal was unavailable for selection due to a sore right groin. This made way for Gill to once again open alongside Rohit, who himself was in the spotlight after returning as T20I skipper for the first time since the 2022 T20 World Cup.
But the opening pair had a nightmarish outing against Afghanistan, which did not bode well for either Rohit or Gill.
Needing 159 to win, India lost Rohit due to a mix-up in the very first over. With Rohit walking off after lashing out at Gill, the young opener got off to a strong start, but once again couldn't turn it into a big score.
With only two international T20 games left in the build-up to the T20 World Cup, Gill's outing on Thursday put his spot in the line-up in even more trouble.
After Rohit's departure, Gill looked to settle in for a big total, hammering five boundaries. But once again, he failed to build on the start as he departed for a 12-ball 23 cameo.
Since August last year, Gill has scored just one half-century from eight T20Is, scoring 133 runs at an average of 16. Not the kind of numbers you want with the T20 World Cup knock on your doors.
A quick look at Shubman Gill's recent numbers:
His run of scores in his last eight innings in T20 Internationals: 3, 7, 6, 77, 9, 0, 8, 23.
A breakdown of Gill's scores in his last eight innings in international cricket:
23 vs Afghanistan, 1st T20 International
36 and 10 vs South Africa, 2nd Test
2 and 26 vs South Africa, 1st Test
8 vs South Africa, 3rd T20I
0 vs South Africa, 2nd T20I
4 vs Australia, 2023 World Cup Final
