India's Asia Cup 2025 Vice Captain: Gill, Pandya Or Axar - Who Is Ahead In The Race?

Probuddha Bhattacharjee

Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill And Axar Patel [Source: AFP Media]Hardik Pandya, Shubman Gill And Axar Patel [Source: AFP Media]

After a hard-fought Test series against England, the next big assignment for the Indian team is the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. Ahead of the tournament, there have been plenty of discussions around the team and particularly the vice-captaincy role. Recent reports suggest that Shubman Gill might be making a comeback into the T20I team and potentially taking on the vice-captaincy.

The strategic consideration behind this decision will profoundly influence India's leadership architecture across all formats and potentially shape the captaincy trajectory for the future. Along with Gill, there are two candidates for the role - Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya. Each of these aspirants presents a distinctive amalgamation of skills and credentials which could be valuable for the role.

Axar Patel

In the last T20I series, Axar Patel was the vice-captain of the team. He played the role well, trying to shoulder responsibilities with both the bat and the ball. Besides, in pressure situations, the southpaw displayed great tactical awareness and situational street smarts.

However, Axar's leadership portfolio remains relatively nascent compared to the other two candidates. This could put him behind in this race.

Hardik Pandya

Hardik Pandya possesses an extensive captaincy repertoire. He has led Gujarat Titans to an IPL title in their maiden season and has also captained the Indian team in the T20Is. He is currently at the helm of things for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. The dynamic properties of his leadership and match-changing abilities establish him as an intuitive leader.

With his fitness concerns now addressed, Pandya becomes a solid candidate to be a part of India's leadership core in the T20Is. His previous captaincy stint was characterised by mixed outcomes. However, Pandya's reactions to certain situations demonstrated his sophisticated understanding of the game's strategies. 

Shubman Gill

Even with Pandya being a prime candidate, the case for Shubman Gill seems to be the most compelling candidate for the vice-captaincy mantle. In the recently concluded Test series against England, Gill displayed the grit to lead the team in challenging situations.

His performance with the bat now establishes him as an accomplished player across all three formats of the game. Aged just 25 years and already having the experience of Test captaincy and ODI vice-captaincy, he is the perfect choice if India is eyeing a transition in this format too.

The Strategic Verdict

If India is looking for an immediate result and the impact of the players in the T20 format, Hardik Pandya looks like a great choice. Aged 31 years, Pandya can be the perfect presence in the role for the next three or four years.

However, Shubman Gill, aged 25 years, looks like a candidate if India is planning for the future. With good 10 years of cricket atleast lying ahead of him, Gill can groom himself to the demands of T20I leadership and then take on the reins in the foreseeable horizon.