"You saw him struggling even in those 8 runs" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill's knock in IND vs SA 2025 3rd T20I

Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that Shubman Gill's knock in the third T20I against South Africa was a tale of two halves. He pointed out that while Gill looked in good touch in the initial part of his innings, the Indian vice-captain seemed to struggle towards the end.

India bowled South Africa out for 117 in the third T20I in Dharamsala on Sunday, December 14. Gill scored a run-a-ball 28 in the chase as the hosts achieved the target with seven wickets and 4.1 overs to spare to take a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Chopra wondered whether Gill's knock in the third T20I could be termed a return to form, highlighting that the opener seemed out of sorts in the latter part of his innings, especially against Anrich Nortje.

"A tale of two halves, although it was only a small knock. It's not like he scored a hundred. He scored only 28 runs and played 28 balls. It seemed like he was in great rhythm when he started. He hit both front-foot and back-foot shots. A typical Shubman Gill knock was seen," the former India opener said.

"He had scored 20 runs off 12 balls. Only eight runs were scored off the next 16 balls, and you saw him struggling even in those eight runs. It seemed like he was giving practice to slip off Nortje's bowling. Every ball was going in that direction. I am slightly split whether the glass is half full or is still half empty," he added.

Shubman Gill struck five fours during his 28-run knock. He eventually played a Marco Jansen delivery onto his stumps.

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"I am slightly greedy" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill failing to convert his start into a fifty

Shubman Gill hasn't scored a T20I fifty in 2025. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, Aakash Chopra noted that he would have wanted Shubman Gill to convert his start into a half-century.

"I am slightly greedy. I felt you had played 28 balls, and there was no scoreboard pressure, and if you score 50 off 40-45 balls, it is still okay because a fifty will be against your name. Now, you have got the confidence of 28 balls, but a fifty has still not come," he said.

While highlighting that Gill has played a thirty-plus and a forty-plus knock earlier as well, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that the 26-year-old missed a chance in Sunday's game.

"He had scored 45 one day earlier as well. He scored 35 one day as well. Now the expectation is that he will go to Lucknow with the confidence of the time he has spent here, but I still feel you had a chance to make it slightly bigger and make his knock longer. Shubman has missed that opportunity today as well," Chopra observed.

Shubman Gill has aggregated 291 runs at an average of 24.25 in 15 T20I innings in 2025. A 47-run knock in India's Asia Cup 2025 Super Fours clash against Pakistan has been his top score this year.