Former Indian batsman and commentator Wasim Jafar shares his thoughts on the Indian T20I setup before the Asian Cup 2025, particularly on the growth of Captain Suryakumal Yadav’s shape and the existence of vice captain Shabman Gill.
Wasim Jafar believes Suryakumal Yadav’s position as India’s T20I captain, despite Shubman Gill’s rapid rise, is not under threat, but while leading the side, he remains a genuine concern and must deal with this before things slip from his hand.
Wasim Jaffer expresses concern over the form of Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the Asian Cup in 2025
Since taking over as India’s T20I skipper, Suryakumar Yadav has managed only 558 runs on the 22 T20I. These numbers are below expectations for players in his caliber, and his final series is particularly concerned, with him managing just 28 runs with an average of 5.60 and two ducks.
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Commentators pointed out that Suryakumar is overly dependent on his foot side game and not making the most of his chances to score on offside.
Wasim Jaffer said by the time of India, “his numbers are worrying (leading India). It’s worrying that he hasn’t gotten his run. In the last few international things he played, he was trying to score mainly behind the square on the foot. His shot choices were not up to the mark.”
Wasim Jaffer hopes Suryakumar Yadav will shut up his doubts
However, the right-handed batsman’s turnaround at IPL 2025 provided some encouragement as he began to find a run across the ground again, but he needs to prove himself in the 2025 Asian Cup.
Jaffer adds, “But he’s been working on the game. As we saw, he was a completely different player in the IPL. He started scoring offside. There’s not much that a bowler can do when Surya makes a shot around the wicket. He’s very dangerous.
Wasim Jafar says Shubman Gill’s appointment is not a threat to Suryakumal Yadav
Meanwhile, the promotion of Shubman Gill as vice captain has been seen as a sign of trust in his potential leadership. The 26-year-old, who leads India in the Test, continues to strengthen his reputation with his massive performance at the top and gentle presence as a skipper.
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However, Jaffer emphasized that having Gill as vice captain does not mean that the captain is under pressure, but that Jasprit Bumrah is carefully managed and Hardik Pandya is not currently in the picture, indicating a long-term vision for the greater responsibility of the Selector.
He said, “Every tour, every series, you have a vice captain. That doesn’t mean the captain is under threat. The selector made it clear. Bumura can’t play every series, so he hasn’t seen him for now.
However, former England spinner Monty Panesar said that if the Indian selector moves ahead of Suryakumar and fails to perform well or win in the 2025 Asian Cup, he could pass the White Ball captain to Gil. He also predicted that Gill would become the captain of India’s full-format captain when Rohit Sharma retires.