Former Indian opener Sadagopan Ramesh has questioned Shubman Gill’s selection ahead of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan in India’s 2025 Asia Cup squad. Gill has been appointed as the team’s vice-captain after impressing on the England tour.
The right-hander scored 650 runs in 15 matches at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 155.87 while leading the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025.
Meanwhile, Jaiswal was the backup opener for the T20 World Cup 2024. The left-hander scored 559 runs in 14 matches for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025 at an average of 43 and a strike rate of 159.71.
On the other hand, Sai Sudharsan top-scored in IPL 2025 with 759 runs in 15 matches for the Gujarat Titans at an average of 54.21 and a strike rate of 156.17.
Ramesh said the duo of Jaiswal and Sudharsan performed better than Gill and thus expressed his surprise at the latter’s selection in the Asia Cup squad. While Jaiswal is part of the stand-by players, there was no place for Sudharsan in the team despite bagging the Orange Cap in IPL 2025.
Sadagopan Ramesh said on his YouTube Channel, “No doubt, Shubman Gill did brilliantly in the IPL. Yet, playing alongside him, Sai Sudharsan did even better and won the Orange Cap, but he wasn’t even considered in the 20. Yes, you are looking at the future with Gill. But the trust shown in him, we don’t see the management having even 50% of that in the other performers.”
“Just ask yourself, in T20 cricket, who is the more dangerous batter – Yashasvi Jaiswal or Shubhan Gill? All the best bowlers in the world will unanimously say Jaiswal is the more intimidating batter. Yet, placing Jaiswal on the stand-by list and making Gill the vice-captain is questionable. I see a clear contradiction in the selection for some players compared to others.”
Ramesh questioned Gill for his six-hitting abilities in T20I cricket. The former flamboyant left-hander said Gill takes 34 balls to hit one six in the shortest format.
“I don’t agree with this selection. Just thinking logically, why did he get selected? If we look back at his last 10 T20I innings, he averages 30 at a strike rate of 132. He takes 34 balls per six in a format like T20. The selectors will say, ‘Look at his recent performances in England’. If that’s the case, then by that logic, why were KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Washington Sundar, and Mohammed Siraj not picked? If this case is presented, the selectors will say we also factored in the IPL,” said Ramesh (via the aforementioned source).
Gill has scored 578 runs in 21 T20I matches at an average of 30.42 and a strike rate of 139.28.
