Asia Cup 2025: Shubman Gill Gets Vice-Captaincy, Set to Shoulder Big Responsibility in T20s

Sports News: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Indian squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, and with it, young opener Shubman Gill has been handed a crucial role. While Suryakumar Yadav has been named captain, Gill will serve as vice-captain, marking a significant step in his rise as one of the most dependable players in the national setup.

This comes at a time when Indian cricket is undergoing transition. Ahead of the Test series against England earlier this year, senior opener Rohit Sharma retired from Test cricket, and Gill was entrusted with the captaincy of the longest format. He responded brilliantly to the responsibility, scoring more than 700 runs in the series and leading from the front with composure. His consistent performances have now earned him a key role in white-ball cricket as well.

Gill’s T20 Journey

Shubman Gill made his T20 International debut in January 2023 against Sri Lanka. Since then, he has featured in 21 matches, scoring 578 runs at an average of 30.42 and an impressive strike rate of 139.27. His record includes three half-centuries and one century, with a career-best score of 126 not out. Gill’s ability to adapt his game to the demands of modern T20 cricket makes him a strong asset for India at the top order.

Cricket experts believe that Gill’s growth in leadership roles is a natural progression. His performances as Test captain showcased his temperament, decision-making, and batting maturity. With India looking to build a balanced squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, Gill’s vice-captaincy is seen as a step towards grooming him for bigger responsibilities in the limited-overs formats.

India’s Squad for Asia Cup 2025

The team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, has a strong blend of experience and youth. Along with Gill, the batting lineup features Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, and Rinku Singh, while the middle order is reinforced by Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dubey. The spin department will rely on Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, while Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakraborty strengthen the bowling unit. The wicketkeeping duties will be shared between Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson.

• Full Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakraborty, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wk), Harshit Rana, and Rinku Singh.
• Standby Players: Prasidh Krishna, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel.

As India gears up for the Asia Cup, much attention will be on Gill, who now stands at the crossroads of becoming not just a batting mainstay but also a future leader in limited-overs cricket.