Shubman Gill Back in Form, Irfan Pathan Says ‘Stick to Your Strengths’

Shubman Gill has received high praise from former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan for his recent return to scoring form. Pathan believes Gill’s exceptional timing and controlled batting are his greatest assets and has urged the young player to remain true to this established ‘template’. Gill’s timely comeback was evident in the rain-shortened T20I series against Australia, which India won. After initial struggles in his first assignment as ODI captain and a few quiet T20 matches, Gill found his groove in the final two games of the tour. In the fourth T20I, he displayed maturity and composure, scoring 46 off 39 balls on a tricky pitch, which helped India secure a series lead. His fluent batting continued in the fifth T20I, where he remained undefeated on 29 from 16 balls, striking at an impressive rate and hitting six boundaries. Pathan, speaking on his analysis, emphasized Gill’s capacity to understand match conditions and adapt, calling it his unique strength. He strongly advised Gill against deviating from his natural game, reiterating that timing is what makes him stand out. Gill’s vice-captaincy role in the T20Is had brought expectations, but his recent solid performances have silenced doubters and cemented his place. While he was managed through the T20 World Cup selection process, selectors have assured Gill remains a key figure in India’s future white-ball plans, evidenced by his consistent run-scoring across different formats.