"Shubman Gill was all set to be sided for Asia Cup, Gautam Gambhir jumped in at the last minute"- Shocking details emerge
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Indian Test skipper Shubman Gill has now been appointed as the T20I vice-captain for the Asia Cup, replacing Axar Patel from the previous series, while the decision introduces new controversies, reports claim it was not a straightforward decision since Ajit Agarkar had other preferences.
Indian batting great Shubman Gill last played a T20I series for India back in July against Sri Lanka. Since then, India has played three T20I series against Bangladesh, South Africa, and England, but Gill has not been part of any of the above-mentioned series.
Gill, who was asked to focus on the remaining two formats of the game, was appointed as the Test skipper for India after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement. Ever since his appointment, Gill has dominated Indian cricket and is now ranked among the top contenders for a future role as an all-format skipper.
Ajit Agarkar announced Shubman Gill as the vice-captain for the Asia Cup
After the Indian team was selected and Ajit Agarkar, alongside skipper Suryakumar Yadav, attended the Press Conference for announcing the Asia Cup squad, the name he took first was that of Shubman Gill.
As Agarkar named Shubman's return to the Indian T20I setup, he also claimed that he has been appointed as the vice-captain of the side. After him, the remaining 14 members of the team were announced, including skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
Both the skipper and selector made it clear that Shubman Gill, despite not having played a T20I game for over one year, was always an integral part of the T20I side and was the initial choice for vice-captain announced after the T20 World Cup triumph.
Gill was not the first choice for vice-captaincy
As per reports claimed by The Indian Express, Shubman Gill's appointment as the Indian vice-captain was a much-considered decision taken by the Indian management.
It has been revealed that the Indian selectors panel weighed in on options like all-rounder Axar Patel as the vice-captain. He was appointed as India's vice-captain in the England T20 series due to Shubman Gill's unavailability for the series.
However, eventually, they too were inclined towards Gill, citing a player who could be a key figure in India's future leadership structure. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, who joined them virtually, also agreed to Gill's appointment, as a younger player could be groomed better.
Agarkar reveals, "Gill was always part of the plans."
Ajit Agarkar revealed that Gill was always a part of the Indian management's plans, since a young skipper could be nurtured to be a world-class leader someday.
“He was the vice-captain when we played in Sri Lanka. But after that, he was busy with Test cricket,” Agarkar said. “We obviously see some leadership qualities in him, and his form in England was what we were hoping for. He exceeded all our expectations, which is a great sign when there’s so much pressure as captain.”
Suryakumar Yadav, the current skipper of the Indian T20I side, also backed the decision to appoint Shubman Gill as his deputy in the continental championship.
“Gill was always part of the first-choice Indian T20 side,” Suryakumar said. “He missed out due to other commitments and injuries, but the leadership group has always believed in his potential.”
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India National Cricket Team Shubman Gill Gautam Gambhir Ajit Agarkar Axar Patel Suryakumar Yadav Asia Cup
