Shubman Gill's T20I Return Won't Unsettle Suryakumar Yadav, Claims Irfan Pathan

Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan feels that the inclusion of Shubman Gill back into the T20I team won’t put pressure on the India captain Suryakumar Yadav as he isn’t insecure of anyone. Gill has been brought back into the T20I side after a year as he’s been re-appointed as the vice-captain of the side for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.

The move to bring Gill back has drawn criticism from a certain section of fans, who believe that his addition will hinder the great work done by Suryakumar since the T20 World Cup 2024 and might lead to insecurities. However, Pathan feels that Suryakumar isn’t the kind of person to get insecure and will be seen in high regard as a captain who wants to build the team for the future.

“Shubman was the vice-captain, and then he started playing Test cricket and got busy. The decision to appoint Shubman Gill as vice-captain would not have happened without Surya’s consent. His approval was definitely there. This also means that Surya is aware of the bigger picture. As much as I know him, he's 34 now and understands that his responsibility goes beyond just performing on the field — he has to take care of the team and also help grow leadership within it. I believe he’s started doing that,” said Pathan to Sony Sports India.

Furthermore, Pathan rubbished talks of any insecurities, mentioning that Suryakumar realizes that bringing Gill back is for the long-term benefit of the Indian cricket team and won’t add any extra pressure on him.

“Bringing Shubman Gill in as vice-captain — while some might think it puts pressure on Surya — is actually a move that benefits Indian cricket in the long term. It also shows Surya’s maturity as a leader, earning him respect in the cricketing community. I truly believe he's very aware of the situation. What’s happening right now shouldn’t put any pressure on him. We've all seen what kind of cricketer he is in T20s. So I don’t believe there are any insecurities in his mind. If anything, this development will only strengthen him as a leader,” he added.

Gill last played T20Is in July 2024 vs Sri Lanka and even captained the team on the tour of Zimbabwe right after the T20 World Cup victory. He has played 21 T20Is in his career so far and scored 578 runs at an average of 30.42 with one hundred and three fifties to his name. It remains to be seen where Gill bats during the Asia Cup as Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma have sealed their spots at the top of the order in the past one year.