Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma, who grew up playing cricket together in Chandigarh, are now recognized as India’s top 2 T20I Openers. They are set to open for India in the second T20I against South Africa at the new PCA Stadium in Mullanpur on Wednesday. Fans will be excited to see the local boys take the field in the first men’s international at this venue. The duo faces a big challenge — proving themselves as a strong and reliable T20I opening pair.
The Battle for the Opening Spot
There has been a lot of debate around Shubman Gill taking the opening position, especially after Sanju Samson had done well in his absence during India’s Test cricket schedule. Post the T20 World Cup in 2024, Samson and Abhishek formed a successful opening pair. But when Gill returned, the team management decided to give him the chance, citing that he was ahead of Samson in the pecking order and had been made vice-captain right after the T20 World Cup.
Interestingly, the same reasoning did not apply to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was also occupied with Test duties. That created an opening for Abhishek Sharma, who impressed enough to earn his spot. Similarly, Rishabh Pant, part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad, fell behind as Jitesh Sharma replaced him.
With Gill and Abhishek now trusted at the top, they are officially recognized as India’s Top 2 T20I Openers, expected to provide a perfect balance between stability and aggression. It is clear that Gill is the player India sees as a future leader in all formats. However, his T20I form since returning in the Asia Cup in September has been below expectations. In contrast, Samson, batting down the order, struggled and eventually lost his place to Jitesh Sharma.
Roles and Responsibilities
In the Asia Cup, Gill and Abhishek gave India good starts against Pakistan in two matches. Yet, it was Abhishek’s aggressive batting that made the difference. Expecting Gill to match Abhishek’s strike rate is unrealistic. Gill’s role is different — he is expected to anchor the innings, much like Virat Kohli has done for India in the past. This is a role he performs well in the IPL as captain of Gujarat Titans. But in recent T20Is, it seems Gill has been trying to match the power-hitting style of Samson and Abhishek, which may have affected his natural game.
Now that Samson has moved away from the middle order, he is likely India’s backup opener since the selectors have not chosen another player for that role. This places more responsibility on Gill to give the team a solid start without consuming too many balls, allowing Abhishek to play freely and attack the bowlers.
The management’s faith in Gill is strong, and he knows he has their backing. As India’s Top 2 T20I Openers, both players need to complement each other — Gill anchoring the innings and Abhishek providing the fireworks. If the duo clicks, India could have a formidable opening pair that balances experience, leadership, and raw power.
Fans at Mullanpur will be watching closely to see if India’s Top 2 T20I Openers can deliver a strong performance. Gill’s ability to anchor and Abhishek’s attacking instincts will be crucial in setting up a competitive total for India. The combination of a steady hand and a power hitter at the top could be the key to India’s T20I success against South Africa in this series. With support from the team management, India’s Top 2 T20I Openers are ready to make their mark in front of the home crowd.
SEE MORE:
