Both Gill and Jaiswal are in contention to make it to India's squad for the continental event.
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has offered his take on the Shubman Gill versus Yashasvi Jaiswal debate for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.
Both Gill and Jaiswal are in contention to make it to India's squad for the continental tournament, which will be played in the T20I format in UAE from September 9 to September 28.
The duo has not played a T20I match since July 2024, amid the priority over Test cricket and One-Day Internationals. Meanwhile, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have established themselves as the openers for India in the shortest format. This means that one spot as a reserve opener will be up for grabs.
Shared his views on the conundrum, Ashwin said Jaiswal should automatically be brought into the team as he was the backup opener during last year’s T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies.
“There are a few talking points regarding the Asia Cup. The first question that comes to everyone’s mind is whether Shubman Gill fits into the T20 plans because in the last World Cup, Yashasvi Jaiswal was the backup opener. So Jaiswal automatically gets a kick-in. Rohit Sharma is not going to be a part of that team, so Jaiswal automatically gets a look-in,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
According to Ashwin, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee will have a tough time fitting Gill back into the team as Sanju Samson has cemented his place in the playing XI on the back of some spectacular performances.
“Now, who is going to be that other opener? Shubman Gill had an outstanding series. Can he return to the squad? Sanju Samson has had a fabulous run as a T20 opener for India. So I think it is a tricky state for the selectors," he added.
There has been a growing consensus over wanting Shubman Gill's return to the shortest format ever since he led India to 2-2 draw on the tour of England in his maiden assignment as Test captain.
Gill has played 21 T20Is so far in his career and scored 578 runs at an average of 30.42, including one hundred and three fifties. He had a brilliant season for Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2025, amassing 650 runs from 15 matches at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 155.87 with six fifties to his name.
It remains to be seen how the selectors bring Gill back into the T20I setup, with the top-order firing through Abhishek, Sanju, Tilak Varma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav himself.
The Men in Blue will begin their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against UAE on September 10. India’s squad for the marquee event is likely to be announced on August 19.