Pressure on Shubman Gill: Indian stars who are fighting to save their T20I future in SA series

Players under pressure to deliver in T20Is [Source: AFP Photo]

The Indian team has revealed its squad for the upcoming T20I series against South Africa, and as expected, the core of the team remains the same, with a couple of key inclusions in the side. Vice-captain Shubman Gill, who suffered a neck sprain during the Test series, was ruled out of the ODIs and will take part in the T20I series, subject to his fitness.

Hardik Pandya, who has been nursing a quadriceps injury, is also back in the side as the team has strengthened the finishing department with his arrival. With the squad announced, there are players who are under-pressure to silence their critics, and in this piece, we will mention three players, for whom this T20I series holds utmost importance.

1) Shubman Gill

When Shubman Gill was made the vice-captain of the T20I team, eyebrows were raised, as before him, India had a settled opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. Even after his arrival, Gill’s numbers have been questionable, and while the champion batter has shown glimpses of his brilliance, he still looks vulnerable at the top.

(Gill in T20Is in 2025)

• Gill’s numbers show that he has worked on his strike rate and has struck at 143, but he has squandered the chances, as despite playing 12 matches, the opening batter has not scored a single fifty-plus score.
• His highest T20I score has been 47, and while Gill has tried to score at a rapid pace, but the batter is yet to truly justify his place in the side. At the same opening spot, Sanju Samson had a strike rate in excess of 170, and the magic was shown on the field as him, and Abhishek dominated the opposition.
• The upcoming T20Is will be huge for Gill as pressure will be on the vice-captain to silence his critics and get some runs under his belt before the T20 World Cup.

2) Sanju Samson

Interestingly, Samson’s place is not under threat due to his poor performances, but because he is not batting at his usual position and there are others ahead in the pecking order.

Since 2024, Samson has donned the role of an opener and has brilliant numbers at the top. However, with Gill’s arrival, he was shifted down in the pecking order and was made to bat at number 5, and 6.

(Samson at different batting positions)

• As the stats suggest, Samson’s best T20I numbers have come at the top, and while batting down the order, he has struggled to score runs.
• With Gill likely to miss the first couple of games due to neck sprain, Samson could slot in at the opening spot, and if he fails to deliver the goods, that could be the end of the road for him, as India already has Jitesh Sharma as the first-choice keeper.

3) Hardik Pandya

• Another player who will be under pressure to deliver, but not because of his poor numbers. Hardik Pandya’s absence has shown one thing: India doesn’t have anyone who can replace him in the team. Hence, a fit Hardik is important for India’s T20 World Cup cause.
• He is coming back after a lengthy quad injury, and the upcoming T20I series will define his fitness level and whether India can rely on him to play as a finisher. Apart from an explosive batter, it would be interesting to see how Hardik bowls in the series and whether he could give India 4 overs in a T20I game.

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