Star India cricketer calls for Shubman Gill’s performance review after South Africa series, says, ‘If he doesn’t…’

Star India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has called for a performance review of the vice-captain after the remaining two matches against South Africa in Lucknow and Ahmedabad.

New Delhi: With just seven matches in hand before the T20 World Cup kicks off on February 7, Shubman Gill’s recent performances have put the Indian team management in a tricky spot. The T20I vice-captain has struggled since returning to the side during the Asia Cup, and with Sanju Samson dropped, his poor form has grabbed everyone’s attention. Gill, who missed the ODI series against South Africa due to a neck injury, returned for the T20Is but managed scores of 4, 0, and 28 not out.

Reacting to Gill’s disappointing form, former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has called for a performance review of the vice-captain after the remaining two matches against South Africa in Lucknow and Ahmedabad. According to Ashwin, such an evaluation is important because it’s rare for a vice-captain to be dropped, and any decision should come only after giving Gill a fair opportunity.

R Ashwin demands for Gill’s performance review

“I am a little concerned. Shubman is not only the opener but also the vice-captain. How will you remove the vice-captain? It is going to be an incredibly tough decision. If you have to take that decision, inside this series you can’t bring [Sanju] Samson because it does not look nice to drop the vice-captain. You can ask whether vice-captains have been dropped in the past or not. But he has been taken and should be given a fair run. If he does not perform in the five games, then a decision will have to be made,” Ashwin said on ‘Ash ki Baat’.

Following a prolific tour of England where he amassed over 700 runs, the India captain has managed just one century, 129 against the West Indies, while his T20I form remains a concern. He scored only 127 runs in seven Asia Cup matches and 132 runs from five games in Australia, with a top score of 47. This ongoing struggle uncertainty to India’s team combination heading into the World Cup, which, Ashwin believes, is far from ideal at this stage.

“You should be knowing your best XI and best squad (for T20 WC) by now. I don’t think there are any doubts in the bowling. That department is sealed. Another good message is that Harshit Rana is showing what he is capable of. He is executing what he is good at,” he added.

“The only question is, if Shubman doesn’t make the runs, should he be there or should Samson be playing. The only unfortunate thing from here on I do not want to see is Gill making runs at a lesser strike rate. That should not happen.”