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BCCI Should Give Shubman Gill A Deserving Rest Instead Of Asia Cup 2025 Push

Rajgeeta Yadav

Shubman Gill [Source: AFP]Shubman Gill [Source: AFP]

Shubman Gill is in contention for the Asia Cup 2025. He’s in form, he's fit, and he's just coming off a historic Test series as captain. On paper, he’s the kind of player every team would want in their squad. But here’s the truth: he shouldn't be playing.

Yes, the selectors are likely to include his name when the squad is announced later this month. Yes, fans will want to see the 25-year-old superstar light up the UAE under the T20I spotlight. But amidst all the buzz, the real question needs to be asked:

Does Gill really need to play in the Asia Cup right now? The answer is a firm no and here’s why.

The Man Has Earned His Break After Gripping ENG Series

After a grueling five-Test series against England, no Indian cricketer has done more heavy lifting than Shubman Gill. In his first assignment as India’s Test captain, he not only led the team in tough English conditions but also finished as the top run-scorer of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with 754 runs, including four centuries, a double ton, and a staggering 430-run match at Edgbaston.

He wasn’t just captaining, he was carrying the team, both mentally and on the scorecard.

All of this came just weeks after he wrapped up a sensational IPL 2025 season, scoring 650 runs in 15 innings for Gujarat Titans. From colored kits to whites, from T20 pressure to Test captaincy, Gill has lived on the edge of elite-level fatigue for the last few months.

If that doesn’t scream deserves rest, nothing will.

Asia Cup 2025 Is Important, But Not Urgent for Gill

The Asia Cup 2025 kicks off on September 9 in the UAE and ends with the final on September 28. But here's the catch: India's Test series against West Indies, part of the WTC 2025–27 cycle, starts just four days later, on October 2.

Would it make sense to push your in-form Test captain through a T20 tournament with minimal recovery time before another crucial red-ball assignment? It doesn’t, not tactically, not physically, and certainly not long-term.

Gill will need rest, red-ball preparation, and mental reset to lead India in that series. Overloading him now may look like short-term gain, but it's a long-term loss.

T20I Options Are Already Stacked

Let’s not forget, India aren’t struggling for T20 batting depth.

  • Abhishek Sharma, currently ranked No. 1 in T20Is, is in blazing form.
  • Sanju Samson, with consistent T20I performances, offers experience and flair.
  • Yashasvi Jaiswal, back from Test and ODI duties, scored 559 runs at a strike rate of 160 in IPL 2025.
  • Sai Sudharsan, the Orange Cap winner with 759 runs, is banging on the door.

Even if Gill skips this tournament, India’s top-order is in safe hands.

In fact, Gill hasn’t played a T20I since August 2024. It’s not that he doesn’t belong, it’s just that others are ahead of him in the format. And head coach Gautam Gambhir, who has made his T20 vision clear, aggressive, expressive, and fearless cricket, may prefer players who have been in the T20 grind more recently.

Let The Body Recover, Let The Mind Reset

Leadership, batting, pressure, expectations, Gill has had a mountain to carry in 2025. And he did it with the composure of a veteran.

Now, the Punjab star needs a chance to recharge. A brief pause won’t dim his momentum; it’ll only fuel it further when he returns for the longer battles ahead. The West Indies series, the South Africa series, and then the T20 World Cup 2026, all demand peak performance.

Cricket today is relentless. Formats overlap, calendars collide, and the line between playing and overplaying gets thinner every year. In this era, rest isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.

If India’s selectors want to send the right message that the team thinks long-term and values player health, leaving Gill out of the Asia Cup would be a wise move.

Gill has done more than enough this year. He has led, scored, inspired, and delivered. Now it’s time to rest, reset, and return stronger.