As the T20 World Cup approaches, excitement is building, and the Indian squad is beginning to assemble in the US. The tournament, co-hosted by the US and the West Indies from June 2 to 29, has prompted extensive discussion among experts about India’s 15-member squad led by Rohit Sharma, one of the favorites to win the title.
One of the key decisions by the BCCI selectors was to include top-order batsman Shubman Gill among the four travelling reserves, a choice former England captain Eoin Morgan disagrees with. Speaking on a Sky Sports podcast alongside fellow ex-England captains Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain, Morgan expressed his preference for Gill over opener Yashasvi Jaiswal.
“The only decision I probably would have made differently, if I were selecting the squad, is including Shubman Gill in the 15 over Yashasvi Jaiswal,” said Morgan.
Jaiswal, a rising star in international cricket, has impressed since his debut for India in Tests and T20Is during the West Indies tour last year. The left-handed batsman has accumulated 1028 runs in 16 innings across 9 Tests at an average of 68.53, including 3 centuries and 4 fifties. In T20Is, he has scored 502 runs in 16 innings at an average of 33.46 and a strike rate of 161.93, including 1 century and 4 fifties.
“It is a big call, but having played alongside Shubman Gill at Kolkata Knight Riders, I know how he thinks and works; for me, he is a future leader in that side,” Morgan added.
Gill has been highly regarded in the international circuit since his debut for India in an ODI against New Zealand in 2019. He has since played in all formats for India, with 25 Tests, 44 ODIs, and 14 T20Is to his name, scoring a century in each format. His runs tally includes 1492 in Tests (4 centuries, 6 fifties), 2271 in ODIs (6 centuries, 13 fifties), and 335 in T20Is (1 century, 1 fifty).
“In big moments in World Cups, the more leaders, the better. Even if Gill is on the sidelines, you need inspiration from everywhere, a sense of positivity,” Morgan added.
The podcast ended with Atherton humorously asking Morgan if he had been approached to coach India, to which Morgan responded with a smile, “No, not at all. Very happy.”
