Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has called on the current team management led by head coach Gautam Gambhir to consider leaving out Shubman Gill for the upcoming T20I matches against South Africa, citing the batter’s prolonged dip in form. Since returning to the T20I setup, Gill has struggled to make a strong impact and has failed to register a single half century. Before his comeback, Sanju Samson had firmly established himself in the role, smashing three centuries last year, but Gill’s inclusion eventually pushed Samson out of the playing eleven.
Gill’s struggles were evident in the first two T20Is against South Africa, where he managed scores of just 4 and 0, lasting only three deliveries across both innings. With pressure building on the Indian captain in Tests and ODIs, his performances in the remaining three T20Is will be closely watched. India have eight matches left before the T20 World Cup scheduled for February and March next year, and concerns around the form of Gill and Suryakumar Yadav remain a major talking point.
According to Kaif, Gill’s recent failures stem from the excessive burden of leadership roles placed on him in a short span. He pointed out that the dismissals in the opening two games reflected a batter trying too hard to rediscover form but finding little success.
Kaif shared his views on his YouTube channel, saying that Gill has been given too many responsibilities at once. He noted that handling Test captaincy, ODI captaincy and vice captaincy in T20Is simultaneously is unrealistic for any player. In his opinion, leadership roles should be handed out gradually rather than all at once.
He further explained that Gill appears to be experimenting with different approaches at the crease, getting caught at slip, stepping out and mistiming shots, or attempting aggressive strokes similar to Abhishek Sharma. Kaif felt that Gill has tried every possible adjustment but nothing seems to be clicking. As a result, he believes a temporary break could help, while proven performers like Sanju Samson deserve another opportunity.
Kaif also stressed the need for fairness in selection decisions, urging the management to avoid double standards. He argued that even vice captains have been dropped in the past and that resting Gill for the team’s benefit should not be seen as controversial. In his view, reinstating Samson would add value, especially with his natural attacking style complementing Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order.
He questioned why players such as Yashasvi Jaiswal were dropped, while Samson remained on the bench despite delivering exceptional performances as an opener. Kaif highlighted that Samson scored three centuries in just five T20 innings, a feat unmatched in the format’s history, yet did not receive consistent chances.
Kaif concluded by saying that the mounting pressure on Gill suggests it may be time for a change, especially with the larger objective of winning the T20 World Cup in mind. He pointed out that while some players are given extended runs to settle into the side, others get very limited opportunities, a pattern that has become increasingly noticeable.
It is also worth noting that Gill had missed the second Test and the ODI series against South Africa due to a neck injury. Only after receiving medical clearance from the Centre of Excellence was he allowed to rejoin the T20I squad.
