India vs South Africa: Shubman Gill’s T20 form a matter of concern

Bengaluru: When Shubman Gill nicked one to first slip in the second T20I against South Africa in Mullanpur off his very first ball on Thursday night, it seemed like he was more than just disappointed. And it did not feel new as the Indian T20 vice-captain’s form starved for another day. 

Devoid of confidence, Gill's numbers in T20Is have been modest: his last 14 innings have yielded 263 runs at an average of 23.90. 

Gill was brought back into the T20 setup for the Asia Cup after leading India to a famous 2-2 draw in the five-match Test series against England away from home. However, there have been questions about his utility as an opener, especially given that runs have not come easy. And the growing criticism is valid. 

After scoring a 39-ball 58 against Zimbabwe last year, he has now gone without a T20I fifty in his last 17 innings.

Adding to the woes, he has looked unrecognisable from the player who scored runs for fun in the IPL and also made batting pleasing to the eye. The 26-year-old scored 650 runs in 15 IPL matches this season, averaging 50 with a strike rate of 155.88, including six fifties. 

While Gill’s failures have not been influential to India's results -- having lost just four T20Is in 21 since November 2024 -- it does cause concern ahead of the T20 World Cup, just two months away. 

However, the team management seems not too worried and wants Gill to leave the pressure back in the change room, loosen a bit, express himself and relinquish the responsibility. 

"He has been caring and maybe a bit too tight. As I said, towards the back end of the  Australia tour, the talks were around freeing up, trying to relinquish that responsibility. It was certainly in that capacity where you feel like it is about you need to justify your place in the team,” assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said after the second T20I. 

"We don't want him to do that. We want him to play as freely as he does during IPL seasons. We believe in his class and we believe he will come good.”

Gill was a perfect fit for the role Virat Kohli played in T20Is. However, under Gautam Gambhir, India have embraced their aggressive philosophy and with batting till No. 8, it leaves no room for an anchor. 

While Gill isn't obsessed with going all guns blazing from ball one, even though watching his batting partner Abhishek Sharma in the Powerplay feeds that temptation, he needs to quickly figure out a way that works for him or go back to the one that worked previously. 

While the criticism on Gill’s T20 form is quite fair, his punishing schedule needs to be considered. Non-stop travel, draining weather conditions, jam-packed fixtures, and jet lag could all be factors affecting his performances.

Since the IPL, Gill toured England for five Tests, featured in the Asia Cup in Dubai, flew to Australia for white-ball cricket, returned to India to play the home Tests against West Indies and South Africa and is currently involved in T20Is. And a slump was bound to come. 

While these can’t be highlighted as reasons for failure in one format, Gill recently admitted he is still figuring out a way to manage all three formats. 

"I would say I am still trying to figure out how to manage all three formats. I am also trying to figure out what gives me the best chance to be able to perform and succeed in all those formats,” Gill said before the South Africa Tests. 

It is not a panic station yet, but there is evidence for concern. While the issue could be more mental than physical, Gill will continue to face a battle against time and form until the runs follow.