Shubman Gill and Axar Patel Compete for Vice-Captaincy in Asia Cup T20

As the Asia Cup T20 approaches, Shubman Gill's remarkable performance in the Test series against England has put him in the spotlight for the vice-captaincy role, competing against Axar Patel. With Jasprit Bumrah expected to play and the selection committee preparing to announce the squad, the dynamics of the team are intriguing. Key players like Sanju Samson and Hardik Pandya are also in the mix, while injury concerns loom over Nitish Kumar Reddy. The competition for the third seamer position adds to the excitement as fans await the final squad announcement.

By Narendra Chaudhary Aug 12, 2025, 09:09 IST

Exciting Competition for Vice-Captaincy

Shubman Gill has become a standout player following his impressive performance in the recent Test series against England. However, he faces competition from Axar Patel for the vice-captain position in the Indian team for the upcoming Asia Cup T20, set to take place in the UAE next month.

Jasprit Bumrah, the leading pace bowler, is expected to participate in the tournament but may be rested for the initial Test against the West Indies scheduled for early October.

The selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is anticipated to announce the squad for the Asia Cup around August 19 or 20, contingent on the medical updates from the Centre of Excellence's Sports Science team regarding all players, including captain Suryakumar Yadav, who has resumed batting practice in Bengaluru.

The selectors will face some challenging decisions, but they are likely to prioritize continuity, which has proven successful since Suryakumar took over as T20 captain.

In the previous series against England, Axar served as the vice-captain, while Gill held the role when Suryakumar was appointed as the full-time T20 skipper in Sri Lanka last year.

It appears that the selection committee is hesitant to make significant changes, as the top five players—Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar, Tilak Varma, and Hardik Pandya—have established a strong foundation.

A BCCI insider noted, 'Abhishek Sharma is currently the world's top T20 batter according to the latest ICC rankings. Sanju Samson had an outstanding season with both bat and gloves. Selecting the squad will be challenging, especially with Shubman's current form, despite it being in Tests. He also performed well in the IPL. The selectors face a dilemma with so many top-order performers.'

Given the abundance of talent in the top order, it will be difficult to accommodate players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan.

KL Rahul, who is the preferred wicketkeeper in ODIs, is also unlikely to be considered for the middle-order position.

Second Wicketkeeper Selection

Sanju Samson is almost guaranteed to be the primary wicketkeeper, while the second wicketkeeper position will be contested between Jitesh Sharma and Dhruv Jurel. Jurel participated in the last T20 series, while Jitesh made a significant impact during RCB's IPL-winning campaign and has excelled as a finisher.

Injury Concerns for Reddy

Hardik Pandya continues to be India's first-choice all-rounder for white-ball formats, but Nitish Kumar Reddy, who sustained an injury during the England series, is unlikely to recover in time. Shivam Dube, who made a strong return against England, is expected to secure a spot in the squad.

Axar and Washington Sundar are likely to be the other two spin-bowling all-rounders included.

Third Seamer Dilemma: Prasidh Krishna or Harshit Rana?

The primary debate will revolve around the third seamer position, with Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh already confirmed. The competition for the third slot is between Prasidh Krishna, who took 25 wickets in the last IPL, and the powerful Harshit Rana, known for his ability to deliver heavy deliveries.

Potential Squad Members: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Verma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana/Prasidh Krishna, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma/Dhruv Jurel.