"I hope that conversation is put to bed" - Aakash Chopra on India's batting concerns ahead of IND vs SA 2025 3rd T20I

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav need to score runs in the third T20I against South Africa. He highlighted that the conversations about India's batting concerns would be put to rest if the captain and vice-captain fire.

India and South Africa will square off in the third T20I of the five-match series in Dharamsala on Sunday, December 14. The series is currently tied at 1-1, with the Men in Blue registering a resounding 101-run win in the series opener in Cuttack and the Proteas emerging victorious by 51 runs in the second game in New Chandigarh.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that Gill and Suryakumar's repeated failures are concerning and that they need to be addressed before the 2026 T20 World Cup.

"I am going to go like a broken record that Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav should score runs. If both of them score runs, you don't need to be too worried. My heart also beats fast with the fact that you are so close to the World Cup and you still don't have an idea who to play and what the batting order should be," Chopra said. (9:25)

"So many questions should not arise so close to the World Cup. Unfortunately, they are there, and I hope that conversation is put to bed. Suryakumar Yadav, the captain, needs to score runs. Shubman Gill, the vice-captain, needs to score runs," he added.

Shubman Gill has scored just four runs, including a golden duck in New Chandigarh, in the first two T20Is against South Africa. Suryakumar Yadav has managed a paltry 17 runs in his two innings in the series.

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"Shubman Gill's spot will be in danger if he doesn't score runs in these 3 matches" - Aakash Chopra

Shubman Gill replaced Sanju Samson as India's T20I opener. [P/C: Getty]

While acknowledging that Suryakumar Yadav's position in the Indian T20I side is not under threat, Aakash Chopra reckoned that Shubman Gill's spot could be in danger if he doesn't perform in the remaining three T20Is against South Africa.

"Two matches will remain after this. Surya's spot is not in danger. However, Shubman Gill's spot will be in danger if, god forbid, he doesn't score runs in these three matches. I hope he scores runs. I want all Indian players to score runs," he said in the same video.

However, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that he wouldn't want to discuss now who should replace Gill in the XI if the opener doesn't fire.

"If that happens, the conversation will end, or else we will be so close to the World Cup, and we will still not know what our ideal XI or 15 is. I won't talk now about what would happen if he doesn't score runs, and who would get a place in the team. I am not going to go there. I am going to stay away from that conversation," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra opined that India should stick with the same playing XI for the third T20I against South Africa. However, the analyst added that he would definitely expect a better bowling performance from the Indian seamers.