Former India wicketkeeper-batter Deep Dasgupta believes Shubman Gill needs to redefine his role in India’s T20I side by becoming the anchor around whom the rest of the batting revolves, much like Virat Kohli did for years in the format. Gill, India’s current T20I vice-captain, returned to the shortest format during the Asia Cup and was named Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy. However, his output has not matched expectations. The Indian Test and ODI captain has scored only 291 runs from 15 T20I innings so far, a modest return for a batter of his calibre.
Dasgupta feels Gill’s value lies not in explosive strike rates but in providing stability at one end. Speaking to PTI Videos, he said most of India’s current batters are natural stroke-makers, which makes Gill’s role different and more structural. “For me, Shubman’s role is very different. If you look at the rest of the players, most of them are stroke players. That is the kind of role Virat played so well for so many years, holding one end while everyone else played around him,” Dasgupta said. He added that Gill should be seen as the pivot of the batting unit rather than someone expected to match the strike rates of others. “I see Shubman in that role Virat played. He is the fulcrum around whom the rest of the batting revolves. Not necessarily with a very high strike rate, but by being more consistent than the others,” he explained. India, the defending champions, will begin their T20 World Cup title defence against the USA in Mumbai on February 7. With limited matches left before the tournament, Dasgupta admitted there would be concern around form, particularly with both Gill and captain Suryakumar Yadav struggling for runs. “Ideally, you would want them to start firing again. If you want players to be fearless, that comes at a cost, and that cost is consistency. That is something you have to be mindful of,” he said. He acknowledged the lack of game time before the World Cup but backed the quality of the players to come good. “We would want Surya and everyone to be in form, but they are good enough. Hopefully, it is just a matter of time,” Dasgupta added. On the ongoing discussion around split coaching for India following their Test series whitewash against South Africa, Dasgupta dismissed the idea as a temporary fix. He stressed that India’s red-ball issues require a deeper and more holistic solution. “Those are band-aid solutions. Where the Indian Test team is right now, it needs a more rounded solution. Otherwise, you are just treating the symptoms, and that becomes a knee-jerk reaction,” he said. Dasgupta also weighed in on the future of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli ahead of the 2027 World Cup, saying their ability was never in doubt. The real question, according to him, is about sustainability and workload. “They are absolute giants of the game. It would be foolish to doubt their credentials. The key is sustainability. I am glad they are playing the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and I hope they continue playing competitive cricket, both domestic and overseas, leading up to 2027,” he said. On Chennai Super Kings signing Sanju Samson, Dasgupta advised caution regarding leadership responsibilities. While he expects Samson to be part of the leadership group, he believes the franchise should allow him time to settle into the setup. “I would like to see him eased into leadership rather than being forced into it straight away,” Dasgupta concluded.
