Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has issued selection warning to Shubman Gill, saying that latter needs to score consistently in T20Is as he is forcing the talented Yashasvi Jaiswal to remain on the bench.

Gill made a return to the T20I fold as deputy during India’s triumphant Asia Cup 2025 campaign in September. Opening the innings, he scored only 127 runs in seven innings at an average of 21.16 in the continental showpiece in UAE.

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.

In the ongoing five-T20I series against Australia, Gill has returned with scores of 37* and 5 in the two games so far.

After his failure in the second T20I at MCG, Pathan mentioned that Gill has potential, leadership quality and scoring pedigree in the IPL, but is yet to perform in T20Is.

"Coming to Shubman Gill — look, Shubman replaced Sanju Samson, who had scored three centuries as an opener, to open for India in T20Is. Gill has potential, leadership quality, and has scored a lot in the IPL. But he has to perform. In the last ten innings, he hasn’t even scored 200 runs in total. So the pressure will build on him. He’s getting opportunities and backing, but he has to convert that into performances — which we haven’t seen yet," said Pathan while speaking on his YouTube channel.

Pathan then pointed out that another young opener 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 ignored for the Asia Cup and the Australia series. The left-hander made his ODI debut in February this year against England, and has played just one match in the format so far.

"You have Yashasvi Jaiswal — a fantastic T20 player. We’ve seen him in the IPL with a strike rate of 160. If he’s sitting out while Gill keeps getting regular chances and doesn’t deliver, then the pressure will be on both him and the team. Gill needs to score consistently. Otherwise, Yashasvi — who’s not playing ODI cricket right now or T20s for India — a player that talented, who can do wonders, even score 200 in ODIs — it’s a problem that such a player is on the bench," Pathan remarked.

India and Australia will now square off in the third T20I in Hobart on Sunday (November 2).