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Priyank Panchal has lauded Shubman Gill’s Asia Cup inclusion after scoring 2000+ IPL runs with a strike rate over 150.
Indian Test captain Shubman Gill (AP)
Former Gujarat opener Priyank Panchal has said that since Shubman Gill scored over 2000 runs in the last three seasons of the Indian Premier League with a strike rate above 150, he deserved a spot in the Asia Cup squad. Gill was named the vice-captain of the team.
The 25-year-old Gill‘s last T20I was against Sri Lanka at Pallekele in 2024 and he has now replaced Axar Patel as the deputy of captain Suryakumar Yadav in the 15-strong team.
Gill’s inclusion wasn’t a surprise after a stupendous run in the recent Test rubber against England, where he scored four centuries in the drawn five-match series.
“Unsurprising. 2000+ runs in the last three IPL seasons at a strike rate of over 150 means that Shubman always deserved that spot. Sometimes we mistake a solid technique for a lack of ingenuity in T20s. That’s a problem of perception. Glad Gill wasn’t a victim of that #AsiaCup,” Panchal tweeted on Tuesday afternoon.
Unsurprising. 2000+ runs in last three IPL seasons at a strike rate of over 150 means that Shubman always deserved that spot. Sometimes we mistake a solid technique for lack of ingenuity in T20s. That’s a problem of perception. Glad Gill wasn’t a victim of that #AsiaCup https://t.co/TgMuKNAg8m— Priyank Panchal (@PKpanchal09) August 19, 2025
While chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar did not answer the question on all-format leadership, he did give his vote for Gill’s presence at the top of the order.
“Gill’s form in England was something we expected, but he exceeded it all,” Agarkar said while speaking to the media.
While it is the team management’s (coach and captain) call on what an ideal playing eleven should look like, Agarkar gave ample indications that Gill will walk into the playing eleven, much like earlier, before Test commitments made him busy.
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