NEW DELHI: With several exciting T20 talents emerging, team selection has become a major challenge for the selectors. Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin believes Shubman Gill, who is in outstanding form in IPL 2026, deserves a place in India’s T20I setup. However, with youngsters like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya coming through, along with established names like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, and experienced Sanju Samson already in contention, the competition has become intense.
“I say it’s tough, man. If I were Ajit Agarkar, I would leave my phone and go to Maldives during selection. I wouldn’t pick up the phone at all,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. “He is obviously a very good player. But you tell me — when a young kid is batting at a strike rate of 220, that is something special, maybe even more special. Sanju Samson played some outstanding knocks in the T20 World Cup; you simply cannot ignore him. Abhishek Sharma is also playing consistently attacking cricket and performing brilliantly for Sunrisers Hyderabad.”
Shubman lost his place in India’s T20I setup ahead of the home series against New Zealand, which preceded the 2026 T20 World Cup. However, India’s Test and ODI captain responded in style with a sensational IPL 2026 campaign. Gill has scored 616 runs in 13 matches at an average of 47.38 and a strike rate of 161.68, including six half-centuries. He has also led Gujarat Titans into the playoffs.
Ashwin Highlights India’s Talent Depth
“India has unbelievable talent at the moment. Naturally, players feel hurt at times, but what makes me happy is that they are converting that hurt into performances. There are players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi, youngsters like Priyansh, and several high-intent openers. And sometimes we even forget to mention KL Rahul. Everyone is pushing each other — to play high-intent cricket and still keep scoring runs. This is an amazing phase for Indian cricket. No one is inferior to anyone here,” Ashwin added.
Shubman, who played his last T20I in 2025 against South Africa in Dharamsala, has featured in 36 T20Is and scored 869 runs at an average of 28.03 and a strike rate of 138.59, including one century and three fifties.
Gill’s Potential and Competition
“Shubman Gill has immense potential, and he can become even better. You can pick any T20 national team in the world, and Shubman Gill’s name will feature there. India’s talent pool is so strong that the competition feels unfortunate as well as fortunate at the same time. Indian cricket is operating at another level,” Ashwin said.
Ashwin also commented on Virat Kohli’s absence from T20Is, saying, “People ask whether Virat Kohli deserves a place or not. Look at what he has done for Indian cricket. Had he not retired, he would still have been part of the current setup. Yashasvi Jaiswal may not have had the same IPL season as last year, but his name still comes up whenever there is a discussion about T20 opening options.”
The competition for spots in India’s T20I team is fiercer than ever, with multiple players performing exceptionally in IPL 2026. Ashwin’s remarks underscore the depth of talent and the difficult decisions facing selectors as they build the squad for future tournaments.
