Shubman Gill has answered his T20I absence with a superb IPL 2026. Yet according to Ravichandran Ashwin, finding him a place in India’s Twenty20 side would be anything but simple.
Gill’s IPL numbers
India’s Test and ODI captain has scored 616 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 161.68. That puts him in the race for the Orange Cap alongside Gujarat Titans team-mate Sai Sudharsan.
Ashwin on a crowded field
The former India spinner said in a YouTube video that the number of in-form options makes the picture complicated. He went so far as to suggest that even Virat Kohli, who retired from T20Is in 2024 but is still thriving in the IPL, would be in the conversation on current form. In Ashwin’s view it is perhaps fortunate for Indian cricket that Kohli has retired, since selectors would otherwise face that dilemma too.
Ashwin pointed to several contenders. He named Yashasvi Jaiswal and highlighted the consistency of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, who have become important figures in the T20I set-up. Young talents such as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi have also emerged after an explosive IPL season, he noted, saying there are many contenders for the opening slots.
A good problem to have
Ashwin called the situation both unfortunate and fortunate, describing Indian cricket as blessed with talent. He joked that if he were chief selector Ajit Agarkar, he would have taken a trip to the Maldives rather than face the headache. With so many players in form, competition for T20I places looks set to stay fierce.
