Not Shubman Gill! IPL-winning captain to replace Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain

Indian cricket is currently witnessing a storm of debate around leadership and batting roles following Shubman Gill’s elevation as India’s ODI captain. Rohit Sharma was recently sacked, and Shubman Gill has been handed over the reins of the ODI team by the BCCI after the Test captaincy.

Gill is now the captain of India’s ODI and Test teams, apart from being the deputy to Suryakumar Yadav in T20Is. Reacting to BCCI’s hasty move, the former Indian batter Robin Uthappa has expressed strong doubts about Gill becoming India’s all-format captain in the near future.

Robin Uthappa questions Shubman Gill’s all-format captaincy chances

Uthappa has pointed out that the young Indian captain still needs to establish himself in the shortest format of the game. He believes that if the BCCI wants to change the T20I captain, then Shreyas Iyer is a strong option, given his success in the IPL with three different teams—KKR, PBKS, and DC.

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Robin Uthappa said in a video on his YouTube channel, "I get One Day and Test cricket, and I think he's a solid pick in Test cricket, and he's shown us that as well. As far as ODI cricket is concerned, I think his numbers are good, but I think they'll get better for a player of his caliber. I think they will look at Shreyas Iyer as a captain in T20. Shubman Gill, he still has to earn that spot.”

India’s second opening slot is wide open after Shubman Gill’s Asia Cup 2025 setback

The Asia Cup 2025 performances have intensified the competition for India’s second opening spot. Shubman Gill struggled in the tournament, which opened the door for other candidates. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are already posing a serious threat to the vice-captain’s positions at the top.

The former Indian batter pointed out that Abhishek Sharma has already cemented his position as an opener after his Asia Cup 2025 heroics, leaving the second spot still up for grabs in the T20Is. However, Uthappa admitted that Iyer is currently out of the T20I side, but he remains a serious contender, especially in leadership considerations in the shorter format of the game.

He further noted, “The second opener slot is still very much open. As far as I am concerned, Yashasvi can be someone who can come up there. Sanju can certainly come up there.”

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Vice-captaincy doesn't mean very much: Robin Uthappa

Uthappa emphasized that vice-captaincy in Indian cricket does not guarantee eventual promotion to full captaincy, citing the rapid changes in team dynamics and selection policies.

Gill’s leadership in ODIs and Tests will be closely watched, especially in high-pressure tournaments. He feels Gill must cement his place first in T20Is; until then, he is out of the picture for captaincy.

Uthappa signed off by saying, “I still think Gill needs to secure his spot first. So, I don't think it will be taken for granted in a sense where he will be captain or he will be next in line. We know, and we've seen Indian cricket change overnight; things change very quickly, and narratives change very quickly. Honestly, vice-captaincy in India doesn't mean very much… Like, you've seen a bunch of vice-captains not becoming captain, right?”