NEW DELHI: The Asia Cup 2025 India squad is set to be announced, and the burning question is whether Test captain Shubman Gill will find a place in the team. With India’s T20I batting lineup already packed with hard-hitters like Abhishek Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, captain Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya, the selectors face a “sweet headache” when it comes to Gill’s inclusion.India’s top six T20I batters boast impressive strike rates: Abhishek Sharma (193.84), Suryakumar Yadav (167.07), Yashasvi Jaiswal (164.31), Hardik Pandya (141.67), Tilak Varma (155.07), and Sanju Samson (152.38).In comparison, Gill has played 21 T20Is so far, with a strike rate of 139.27.So, will the selectors still back Shubman?Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has closely observed Gill, strongly believes the youngster deserves a place in the squad.“In the T20 format, it’s important to understand that it’s not just about big hitting. If Shubman decides to attack, he can match anyone, because he is a very solid player with strong basics. A batter with such a strong foundation can score runs in any format,” Harbhajan told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“If you look at the IPL, Shubman has scored runs every season. He has worn the Orange Cap — and that doesn’t happen by chance. And it’s not like he bats only at a strike rate of 120 or 130; he can also bat at a strike rate of 160,” he added.“Yes, we do have players like Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma, but you cannot undermine or underestimate Shubman Gill. He is a very talented batter who can adapt to any format. He is an all-format player. In my opinion, he can play T20s and even dominate the format. We as fans are used to seeing fours and sixes every ball, but you also need batters who can play long innings and rescue the team when required,” Harbhajan said.When asked to name his 15 for the Asia Cup, which is set to be picked on Tuesday, Harbhajan replied: “I think the squad should be: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav – the captain, Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag for the middle order, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant.”‘CRICKET NEVER STOPS FOR ANYONE’The Asia Cup will mark India’s first major multi-team tournament without stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The duo featured in India’s previous two global triumphs — the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 — both won under Rohit’s leadership.
This, as Harbhajan puts it, is the beginning of a new era.“See, cricket never stops for anyone. Whether we talk about the time of Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, or Sachin Tendulkar, the game has always gone on. Someone or the other comes in and takes the team forward. Right now, the way Shubman Gill and his team-mates have played in England… Rohit and Virat have left their legacy in the right hands. We have seen the shift happen smoothly. It will be a big tournament that will be played without Virat and Rohit,” Harbhajan said.
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Should Shubman Gill be included in the Asia Cup 2025 squad?
“The way these youngsters have taken responsibility… I believe this is the natural rule of life — change is inevitable. If there is no change, things become stagnant. Moving forward is always good. And the way Shubman Gill and his team-mates have performed, it’s really pleasing to see.“Of course, we have seen this shift earlier as well. When the big players move on, someone else steps up, takes responsibility, and carries the team forward. As long as the team keeps moving in the right direction, that is the main goal. The way Gill and his team have played in England, Rohit and Virat have definitely left their legacy in safe hands,” he added.
