"Many times it seems like you are being unjust to Sanju Samson" - Aakash Chopra on importance of AUS vs IND 2025 T20Is for Shubman Gill

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the Men in Blue's upcoming ODI series against Australia will be extremely important for Shubman Gill. He pointed out that Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal are breathing down the Indian vice-captain's neck for the opener's position.

India and Australia will square off in a five-match T20I series, with the first game scheduled to be played in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29. Gill will likely continue to open the batting with Abhishek Sharma in all five games.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that Gill is potentially competing with Samson and Jaiswal for the opening position, especially with the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter being demoted in the batting order slightly unjustly.

"This series will be extremely important for Shubman Gill. It's important for him because runs weren't scored when he was elevated to ODI captaincy. Again, you can't read too much into it because it's just been one series. I get that. So it's not like there is a question on his place," Chopra said (2:35).

"There are people breathing down his neck. One is in the team itself. Sanju Samson had opened and done well. You are keeping him with the team and making him bat down the order. Many times it seems like you are being unjust to Sanju Samson. There is pressure if you are not making him open," he added.

Chopra added that Jaiswal's presence as an opening option would also put pressure on Gill.

"Yasahsvi Jaiswal is around the corner. He says he is also there and should also be played, and that he would also hit if he is played. So making Yashasvi Jaiswal sit out also becomes an issue of pressure," he observed.

Shubman Gill has scored 705 runs at a strike rate of 141.28 in 28 T20I innings. While Sanju Samson has aggregated 993 runs at a slightly better strike rate of 147.98 in 42 T20I innings, Yashasvi Jaiswal has smashed 723 runs at a much better strike rate of 164.31 in 22 T20I innings.

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"He couldn't win that game" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill's inability to play a match-winning knock in the Asia Cup 2025 final

Shubman Gill managed only 12 runs off 10 deliveries in India's five-wicket win in the Asia Cup 2025 final. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Shubman Gill couldn't play a match-defining knock in the Asia Cup 2025 final in conditions that suited his game.

"The truth is that the Asia Cup was also just decent. In the final, actually that was that kind of pitch and that kind of total where you look towards Shubman Gill and say that he should win the game, but he couldn't win that game," he said.

While acknowledging that Gill doesn't seem to lack form, the cricketer-turned-commentator reiterated that Suryakumar Yadav's deputy would be under pressure.

"Let's be fair, Shubman Gill has come with good form. He played well in the Test matches against the West Indies. He wasn't seen playing badly here either. Maybe short of runs, if we see the last three games, but he doesn't look out of form. However, there will be slight pressure on him," Chopra observed.

Shubman Gill scored 127 runs at an underwhelming average of 21.17 in seven innings in the Asia Cup 2025. He managed only 43 runs at a paltry average of 14.33 in three innings in the recently concluded ODI series against Australia.