Asia Cup: Has Shubman Gill's return disrupted India's T20I batting order? Netizens react strongly on social media

India are currently the top-ranked side in T20Is and for a very good reason. They won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and have only lost three of their last 36 games in the format - unprecedented consistency when you factor in the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket. The one thing that's helped India's cause has been their seamless transition from senior players.

Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirements shortly after India's World Cup win. It meant a new chapter had to be written and Suryakumar Yadav was chosen to lead the side for the next cycle. India continued to rack up wins without missing a beat, almost as if the transition never happened. With the IPL hitting its peak levels, the depth in Indian cricket is the envy of most countries in the world. Players like Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal would walk into any side in the world for any format. Yet, the duo were barely part of India's T20I side in 2024 and 2025 due to Test match duties. India's think tank has been clear about workload management and the depth in Indian cricket allows them to rotate players with ease.

However, once Gill took over Test captaincy, it was clear that the management and BCCI have earmarked him for full-time leadership in the future. This theory got vindicated when the Punjab batter not only returned to the T20I side for the Asia Cup but was elevated to vice-captaincy straightaway. It meant that he would surely start in the XI and also open the batting. Sanju Samson, who had struck three centuries at the top of the order in the last 12 months, had to either sit out or bat in the middle order. To their credit, the think tank have persisted with Samson, despite having a natural middle order wicket-keeper in Jitesh Sharma but clearly, that's not where the Kerala batter belongs.

The ongoing Asia Cup has seen India's batters put up inconsistent performances with Abhishek Sharma being the only exception. The southpaw is on a purple patch and his incredible ball-striking form could even earm him a call-up to the ODI squad. Apart from Abhishek, though, the batting order has suddenly appeared to be out of place. Samson at five is a genuine misfit and if he does bat at 3, that would put Suryakumar and Tilak Varma out of position. In between all of this, we have Shivam Dube who is more of a spin-hitter despite his recent improvement against pace. India have, however, stuck with him as finisher even with a proven Rinku Singh in the mix. Axar Patel, who batted at seven most of the times recently, now is at eight and has barely been needed with the bat.

Gautam Gambhir's preference for all-rounders and batting depth is well known. Therefore, expect India to take this route to the World Cup next year but it could backfire. India for now don't have a second seamer in their XI as Hardik Pandya does that role. This combination puts too much pressure on Jasprit Bumrah who is already on the verge of breaking down due to immense workload. It might sound like a hyperbole but if Gill wasn't a mandatory pick, the batting order would look close to perfect and India could perhaps add an extra bowling option too. In such a scenario, Rinku could replace Dube in the XI as well.

In the Super Four fixture against Bangladesh on Wednesday (September 24), India sent Sanju Samson at no.8, a move that shocked the internet. Netizens on X have reacted wildly to this demotion and voiced their opinion against Gill's return to the side.

"For accommodating Shubman Gill in T20Is, BCCI ruined the batting line-up. Sanju Samson was good as opener, Tilak at 3 & Surya at 4 were beast." wrote one user on X.

"Sanju Samson is in great form, scoring three centuries and 111 vs Bangladesh, yet Gambhir drops him down the order. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill, favored by politics and quota, flops at the top. Sanju should be the team’s anchor, not pushed to number 8." another user opined on X.

"They are afraid of their favorites losing their position to Sanju Samson. That's why they are torturing him with all these." said a user who clearly seems to be a big supporter of Samson.

There are a set of users who are on the other side of this debate as well.

"I do like Sanju Samson as a player but it feels like he has been playing for 10 years & his fans have been demanding justice for 15+ years . Same story each series ‘ Justice for Sanju’", wrote a user.