Shubman Gill, the Indian Test skipper, is unlikely to be picked for the Asia Cup 2025 as per recent reports across media outlets. He recently drew the Test series against England in his first assignment as India’s Test skipper.
There have been constant updates coming on Gill for the last few days. Some have said that he is closer to being picked in the Asia Cup squad, while a few other reports have completely denied it.
The BCCI momentarily seemed interested in picking Gill fr the tournament and also possibly naming him as the vice-captain of the side in the tournament. However, as per a recent report by Cricbuzz, the board seems to have detached themselves from that idea.
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Shubman Gill Is A Solid Player With Strong Basics - Harbhajan Singh
Abhishek Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Verma, Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer might be the ones who might be selected for the squad. SKY will obviously lead the side as previously reported. Sanju Samson is the one who is likely to open with Abhishek Sharma in the XI, with Jaiswal as the backup opener.
Meanwhile, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has backed Shubman Gill’s selection for the Asia Cup, saying that he can be equally effective in the format as a batter.
However, despite his limitations as a T20I batter, Harbhajan Singh has backed his selection in the Asia Cup. He said that Gill’s solid technique as a batter will allow him to score quick runs.
“In the T20 format, it’s important to understand that it’s not just about big hitting. If Shubman decides to attack, he can match anyone, because he is a very solid player with strong basics. A batter with such a strong foundation can score runs in any format," Harbhajan told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.
The former Indian spinner further said that it will be wrong to underestimate Gill’s prowess as a T20I batter, saying that the Indian Test skipper is an all-format player and can adapt accordingly. Gill’s strike rate of 139.27 is way lower compared to his teammates, all of whom have a strike rate above 150.
"Yes, we do have players like Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma, but you cannot undermine or underestimate Shubman Gill. He is a very talented batter who can adapt to any format. He is an all-format player. In my opinion, he can play T20s and even dominate the format. We as fans are used to seeing fours and sixes every ball, but you also need batters who can play long innings and rescue the team when required, Harbhajan said.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: India’s Predicted Squad - Who Are The Likely Contenders
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Harbhajan Names His 15 For Asia Cup
He concluded his interaction by picking his 15-member India squad for the tournament. He has kept the likes of Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Riyan Parag and KL Rahul in his 15 while names like Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Varun Chakravarthy has not found a place.
"I think the squad should be: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav – the captain, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag for the middle order, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant” said Bhajji as he picked his 15.
The BCCI will be announcing India’s squad for the tournament on August 19. India and Pakistan are placed in the same group with the high-octane clash scheduled on September 14 in Dubai.
Also Read: Asia Cup 2025: Gautam Gambhir’s Opinion Key Behind Shubman Gill’s Selection: Reports
