With the ODI action over, the focus of India’s tour to Australia now shifts to the five-match T20I series, set to begin on Wednesday (October 29) in Canberra.

Ahead of the series opener, former cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has issued a warning to Indian T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill.

According to Chopra, Gill’s underwhelming display in the Asia Cup 2025 could put him under some pressure during the Australia series with multiple contenders vying for the second opener role.

Gill’s return to the T20I fold as deputy didn’t yield best of returns as he scored only 127 runs in seven innings at an average of 21.16 during the continental showpiece last month.

His comeback also meant Sanju Samson moving down in the batting order despite the wicketkeeper-batter hitting three T20I centuries in the 2024 calendar year.

“This T20I series will be extremely important for Shubman Gill. It’s important for him because runs weren’t scored when he was elevated to ODI captaincy. Again, you can’t read too much into it because it’s just been one series. I get that. So it’s not like there is a question on his place,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“People are breathing down his neck. One is in the team itself. Sanju Samson had opened and done well. You are keeping him with the team and making him bat down the order. Many times, it seems like you are being unjust to Sanju Samson. There is pressure if you are not making him open,” he added.

Chopra also mentioned that another young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is waiting in the wings. While the southpaw has established himself as India’s first-choice opening batter in Test cricket over the last two years, his appearance in white-ball cricket remains conspicuously limited.

Despite scoring 723 runs in 23 T20Is at an average of 36.15 and a strike rate of 164.31, Jaiswal was recently ignored for the Asia Cup 2025 and the upcoming series against Australia. The left-hander made his ODI debut in February this year against England, and has played just one match in the format so far.

“Yasahsvi Jaiswal is around the corner. He says he is also there and should also be played, and that he would also hit if he is played. So making Yashasvi Jaiswal sit out also becomes an issue of pressure,” Chopra remarked.

Aakash Chopra felt Gill missed the opportunity to play a match-winning knock in the Asia Cup 2025 final against Pakistan in Dubai.

“The truth is that the Asia Cup was also just decent. In the final, actually that was that kind of pitch and that kind of total where you look towards Shubman Gill and say that he should win the game, but he couldn’t win that game,” Chopra said.

“Let’s be fair, Shubman Gill has come with good form. He played well in the Test matches against the West Indies. He wasn’t seen playing badly here either. Maybe short of runs, if we see the last three games, but he doesn’t look out of form. However, there will be slight pressure on him,” he stated.

Shubman Gill has played 28 T20Is so far, scoring 705 runs at an average of 28.20 and a strike rate of 141.28, including one hundred and three half-centuries. He will be keen to turn things around in the Australia series.