Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle is not the only exciting news for Indian cricket fans in the coming weeks. Star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah is set to play in the upcoming Asia Cup T20 in the UAE, but he might be rested for the opening Test match against the West Indies in early October.
The Indian selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, is expected to finalise the Asia Cup squad around August 19 or 20. This will happen once the Centre of Excellence’s Sports Science team shares the medical updates of all players. This includes skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who has already returned to batting practice at the nets in Bengaluru.
While there are some big selection questions to answer, the selectors are likely to stick with the current squad combination that has worked well since Suryakumar became the T20 captain. Among those decisions, the Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle is expected to be one of the most closely followed.
Gill vs Axar: The Race for Vice-Captaincy
One of the most talked-about decisions will be who becomes vice-captain for the Asia Cup T20. Shubman Gill, fresh from a brilliant Test series against England, is one of the main contenders. However, Axar Patel is also in the race, making the Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle the highlight of the selection discussion.
Axar was the vice-captain during India’s recent T20 series against England at home, while Gill held the role last year when Suryakumar first became the full-time T20 skipper during the Sri Lanka series. This history only adds spice to the Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle.
A senior BCCI source revealed, “Abhishek Sharma is the world’s No. 1 T20 batter in the latest ICC rankings. Sanju Samson has been outstanding with both bat and gloves last season. Gill’s current form, even though it’s from Tests, is too good to ignore. He also had a good IPL. The problem is, there are too many top-order performers.” Such depth in batting talent makes the Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle even more complex for the selectors.
With such strong competition, it will be hard to find places for players like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan. Even KL Rahul, who is now the first-choice wicketkeeper in ODIs, is unlikely to be picked for the T20 squad since he doesn’t bat in the middle order. That’s why the Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle is such a big call, it could shape the leadership group for future tournaments.
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Selection Battles: Keepers, All-Rounders, and Pacers
The wicketkeeper position is another talking point. Sanju Samson is almost certain to be the first-choice keeper. For the second keeper’s spot, the contest is between Jitesh Sharma and Dhruv Jurel. Jurel played in the last T20 series, while Jitesh impressed for RCB during their IPL-winning campaign and has been successful as a finisher. Even here, leadership experience matters, which indirectly links back to the Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle, selectors value versatility and responsibility.
When it comes to all-rounders, Hardik Pandya remains India’s top choice in white-ball cricket. However, Nitish Kumar Reddy, who was injured during the England series, is unlikely to recover in time. Shivam Dube, who made a strong comeback against England, is expected to make the squad. Along with him, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are set to be the two spin-bowling all-rounders, adding more weight to Axar’s case in the Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle.
For the spin department, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy are also expected to be included, giving India plenty of variety.
In the fast-bowling department, Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh are guaranteed their spots. The third seamer’s position will be a fight between Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana. Prasidh took 25 wickets in the last IPL, showing his consistency, while Harshit has impressed with his raw pace and ability to bowl heavy deliveries. These final decisions, just like the Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle, will come down to form, fitness, and balance.
Likely Asia Cup Squad for India
Based on current discussions and fitness reports, the probable Indian squad for the Asia Cup T20 could be:
- Suryakumar Yadav (captain)
- Shubman Gill
- Abhishek Sharma
- Sanju Samson (wk)
- Tilak Varma
- Shivam Dube
- Axar Patel
- Washington Sundar
- Varun Chakravarthy
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Arshdeep Singh
- Harshit Rana / Prasidh Krishna
- Hardik Pandya
- Jitesh Sharma / Dhruv Jurel
The Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle will be the headline topic when the selectors meet. It’s not just about this Asia Cup, but about building a leadership group for the T20 World Cup next year. India’s recent success under Suryakumar Yadav has been built on stability, and while the squad is expected to remain largely unchanged, this one decision could define the team’s direction in upcoming tournaments.
With so many talented players and leadership options, the Gill vs Axar Vice-Captaincy Battle promises to be one of the most exciting selection debates in recent Indian cricket history.
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