Shubman Gill: Will Shubman Gill, who is currently out of form, be able to retain his vice-captaincy in T20s? The pressure has increased with Samson's inclusion.

Indian team's star batsman Shubman Gill has been going through a rough patch lately. Gill was unable to play the fifth T20 match against South Africa due to injury, and Sanju Samson was included in the playing XI in his place. Samson opened the innings with Abhishek Sharma and once again proved his worth to the team. This is putting increased pressure on Gill.

Samson Seizes the Opportunity

The Indian team for the T20 World Cup next year is to be announced on Saturday. There is no doubt that Gill will be a part of this team, but the way Samson has capitalized on the opportunity in his absence has raised doubts about whether Gill will retain his position as vice-captain of the T20 team. Samson also performed well with the bat and was then given the wicket-keeping responsibility despite Jitesh Sharma's presence. This would have increased the pressure on Gill. It is believed that the Indian think tank may reconsider Gill's vice-captaincy position for the T20 World Cup and the T20 series against New Zealand.

Gill suffered a toe injury during a net session in Lucknow, after which Samson made a comeback as an opener, scoring 37 runs off 22 balls in the crucial fifth and final match of the series. It's not that there is any doubt about Samson's place in the 15-member squad. But this innings makes him a strong contender to reclaim his rightful place as an opening partner alongside Abhishek Sharma.

Gill Not Performing Up to Expectations in T20s

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) appointed the 26-year-old Gill as the T20 vice-captain with the long-term goal of making him the national captain across all formats, so that he could eventually replace Suryakumar Yadav in T20s. However, Gill's game has not aligned with Team India's philosophy of playing aggressively at all costs, as he has not scored a single half-century since his return to the T20 team. Even worse, his strike rate has dropped, and the technical issues stemming from changes in his stance to achieve better results in the Test format have also affected his T20 batting.

Gill's promotion to vice-captain actually created a problem for Samson. Samson had a better T20 record internationally and scored three centuries last season, but he was forced to bat lower down the order in the Asia Cup. Clearly uncomfortable after being removed from his opening slot through no fault of his own, Samson lost his place in the playing XI. But then, Gill's injury gave him another chance to open the innings.