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2 min readMar 11, 2026 02:14 PM IST
Shubman Gill will find it difficult to break into a T20 World Cup-winning Indian squad let alone leading it, reckoned Aakash Chopra. (AP Photo)
With India marching to their third T20 World Cup title under skipper Suryakumar Yadav in Ahmedabad last week, former opener Aakash Chopra has ruled out the potential return and appointment of Shubman Gill as the next T20I captain.
Gill, who had taken over as Test and ODI captain last year, made a surprise return to the T20I squad after 14 months in September 2025. The right-hander was immediately named vice-captain at the 2025 Asia Cup, displacing Sanju Samson from the opening spot. However, Gill’s indifferent form in the format extended to 15 games where he failed to notch up a single half-century.
Gill was eventually dropped when India unveiled their World Cup squad on December 2025, paving way for the return of Ishan Kishan into the format after three years.
Chopra said the Punjab batter will find it difficult to return to the T20I set-up with the chances of all-format captaincy looking slim.
“It’s going to be difficult, although the Indian team thought that it would become easier if there were one captain for all three formats. However, it won’t happen at all. I feel we won’t be able to do that because he is the Test and ODI captain, but he can’t get the T20I captaincy. At this moment, even his name coming is difficult because of the way the Indian team has been playing, especially the last four games,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Chopra said that with India putting on mighty totals, Gill should instead focus on his long-format abilities and not dilute them in a bid to adjust with the T20I game.
“When are you talking about 250, and that too in a World Cup, then you don’t think you need an anchor. Shubman Gill can adapt and change, but we shouldn’t lose Shubman Gill, the Test batter, in trying to find that, and lose the Shubman Gill who can become an absolute giant in ODIs. I think it’s going to be difficult for Shubman Gill,” he observed.
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In Gill’s absence, Samson and Kishan emerged as India’s highest run-getters in the World Cup, aggregating 321 and 317 runs respectively while strike at nearly 200.
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