Following Shubman Gill’s immediate dismissal (a golden duck) in the second T20I against South Africa, Robin Uthappa has strongly advocated for Sanju Samson, questioning the team management’s decision to drop him. Uthappa highlighted Samson’s outstanding form in 2024 and criticized Gill’s inconsistent performance since returning to the opening role. He stressed the urgent need for transparency in selection strategies with the 2026 T20 World Cup nearing.
In Dharamsala, the spotlight fell back onto India’s T20I opening combination after Shubman Gill’s forgettable start in the second match against the Proteas. This incident has reignited the debate surrounding the sidelining of Sanju Samson, a move made despite Samson’s impressive batting form during the latter part of 2024 and with the 2026 T20 World Cup just around the corner.
Gill’s return to the top of the order as vice-captain during the 2025 Asia Cup has not yielded the expected results. He is currently enduring his longest run without a T20I fifty, a streak of 17 innings. This dip in form has brought back discussions about the stability of the opening partnership, particularly concerning why the successful pairing of Samson and Abhishek Sharma was altered when both were in good touch.