Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra praised Shubman Gill for returning back to form in the first T20I against Australia at the Manuka Oval, Canberra on Wednesday. The match was abandoned due to rain as India managed 97-1 in 9.4 overs.

Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten knock of 37 runs off 20 balls with the help of four fours and one six. But there were questions raised on Gill’s form in the T20I format after he could only manage 127 runs in seven matches of the Asia Cup.

Chopra noted that no questions should be raised on Gill’s performances after a kind of 2025 he has had so far. Gill scored 754 runs in five Test matches against England and also delivered in two Test matches against the West Indies.

Aakash Chopra said on Star Sports, “There was no question about his class, and in my opinion, there was no question about his form as well. There was a slight backdrop about the Asia Cup. Sanju Samson was opening. You have been made the vice-captain in T20 cricket, which means you will open now. So Sanju Samson, who has scored three centuries, won’t get a chance.”

“So suddenly you start asking questions. If you write a new story, there are some subtexts to it, there are some questions. It was about how he would move forward after the middling performance in the Asia Cup. Otherwise, no one has the right to ask questions after the 2025 Shubman Gill has had,” he added.

Meanwhile, Gill could only manage 43 runs in three ODIs against Australia . Chopra noted that Gill was trying to bat aggressively in ODIs, which didn’t work in his favour.

“Actually, nothing has changed. He was trying to bat like this even in the ODIs. Runs weren’t scored, but whatever deliveries he played, he looked very comfortable and convincing even in ODI cricket. Your name is written at times on an odd delivery, sometimes you are trying to run too fast, and you get out in the process,” he replied.

The renowned commentator said this knock of 37 runs would have added a lot of confidence to Gill’s bag, as Sanju Samson was also doing a decent job as an opener and thus Gill’s promotion would have been questioned if he had not gotten runs.

“He is at the top of his game currently, whether you see it mentally, physically, technically, or even tactically. 2025 has been Shubman Gill’s year. He needed to score runs because if he hadn’t scored runs here and hadn’t scored runs in two more matches, you and I would have been saying that Sanju was also doing well, so why couldn’t you have continued opening with Sanju Samson?” Chopra observed.

The second T20I between Australia and India will be played at the MCG on Friday.