Asia Cup 2025: ‘Shubman Gill shouldn’t be undermined or underestimated’- Harbhajan Singh on Team India selection

Shubman Gill is in contention for opening spot in Indian team for the Asia Cup.

Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh backed Shubman Gill to be included in India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 tournament. The continental tournament will be played from September 9 to 29 in the UAE, featuring eight teams.

Shubman Gill, while a staple in Tests and ODIs, has not yet been that prolific in T20Is. He has 578 runs in 21 T20Is with one century and three fifties at an average of 30.42 and a strike rate of 139.27.

In the recent IPL 2025, Gill had made 650 runs in 15 games with six fifties and a strike rate of 155.87. He has 3866 runs in 118 IPL matches with four centuries and 28 fifties with a strike rate of 138.71.

However, with Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Yashasvi Jaiswal all fighting for the opening spots in the Indian team, Shubman Gill might find himself slipping down in the BCCI selectors’ list.

Harbhajan continues to support him for a spot in the Asia Cup squad, citing his recent IPL performances, including winning the Orange Cap in 2023 and scoring 890 runs in 17 innings.

“In the T20 format, it’s important to understand that it’s not just about big hitting. If Shubman decides to attack, he can match anyone because he is a very solid player with strong basics. A batter with such a strong foundation can score runs in any format. If you look at the IPL, Shubman has scored runs every season. He has worn the Orange Cap—and that doesn’t happen by chance. And it’s not like he bats only at a strike rate of 120 or 130; he can also bat at a strike rate of 160," Harbhajan told Times of India.

Harbhajan Singh stated that Gill is a batter who has the ability to adapt to any format and play anchor to stabilize things in crucial situations.

"Yes, we do have players like Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma, but you cannot undermine or underestimate Shubman Gill. He is a very talented batter who can adapt to any format. He is an all-format player. In my opinion, he can play T20s and even dominate the format. We as fans are used to seeing fours and sixes every ball, but you also need batters who can play long innings and rescue the team when required,” he said.

The BCCI selection committee will announce the Indian squad for the Asia Cup 2025 on August 19.