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Amid Gill's struggle, India star sends 'T20 World Cup' message to BCCI selectors; says he's ready to lead India too
As debate over Gill grows, another former first-choice T20I opener has fired a clear message to selectors, signalling he still wants a spot in the T20 World Cup
Shubman Gill, who delivered a coming-of-age performance in his debut series as Test captain against England with a staggering 754 runs, convincing the BCCI selectors to chart a bigger plan around the 25-year-old, has struggled to mirror that form in the shortest format. In 13 T20Is this year, Gill has managed just 263 runs off 183 balls at a strike rate of 143-plus, hitting only four sixes — two of them in the powerplay. With the T20 World Cup just two months away, his slump has raised concerns, sparking fresh support on social media for Sanju Samson, who was pushed out of the opening role to accommodate Gill after he was made T20I vice-captain.
As the debate continues, another player, once India’s preferred T20I opener, has sent a pointed message to the selectors, signalling his desire to return for the World Cup.
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Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has 723 runs in 23 T20Is at a strike rate of 164.31 with one century and five fifties, told Agenda AajTak: “My dream is to play the T20 World Cup, but I try to focus on my game and will wait for my time.”
The 23-year-old last featured for India in July last year during the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka.
While the selectors are unlikely to overhaul plans this close to the World Cup, a continued lean run for Gill in the ongoing T20I series against South Africa could, at best, open the door for Samson. Jaiswal’s omission from the 2026 T20 World Cup setup became evident when he was left out of the Asia Cup squad earlier this year.
Jaiswal didn’t stop there — he also expressed readiness to lead India in the future, saying, “Yes, if I get a chance, I would like to lead India.”
