Former India cricketer RP Singh has shared his blunt assessment about the Shubman Gill– Sanju Samson saga ahead of Asia Cup 2025. The cricketer turned analyst pointed out that the Kerala batter has a better strike rate compared to Gill in T20Is. He however, lauded Shubman Gill for his ability to rotate the strike, adding that it would be really tricky for the team management to form a formidable batting combination.
RP Singh’s Thoughts on Shubman Gill’s Strike-Rate against Sanju Samson
Speaking on his You Tube channel, RP Singh said: “There is another headache about batting order because Shubman Gill is the vice-captain, he will cement a place. He opened in IPL and played explosive innings. You also need a player who can rotate in the match. He’s brilliant at that. But the strike rate of Shubman Gill which is 139.28 hasn’t been as great as Sanju Samson’s. Is it a challenge for Team India, or will they sort out to form a batting combination where they can use Shubman Gill’s expertise?”Â
RP Singh further added: “Shubman Gill has a good opportunity. His strike rate is 139. He can improve that; I am speaking about the T20 Indian team. Apart from this, he’s been better in IPL.”Â
For the record, Shubman Gill has 578 runs in 21 T20Is at a strike rate of 139.27 including one century and three fifties. However, the Gujarat Titans captain slammed 650 runs in 15 innings at a strike rate of 155.87, including six half-centuries. On the other hand, Sanju Samson has scored 861 runs in 42 T20Is at a strike rate of 152.38 comprising three tons and two fifties. As an opener, the 30-year-old smashed three centuries in the last calendar year.
The opening batter, however, managed just 51 runs in five innings against England earlier this year. In IPL 2025, the Rajasthan Royals skipper managed 285 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 140.39 including one half-century. We will have to wait and watch out to see who among the two players gets to open the batting with Abhishek Sharma in Asia Cup 2025.
RP Singh stresses on the need for Suryakumar Yadav to step up as captain
RP Singh reckoned that Suryakumar Yadav needs to step up as captain ahead of his first big tournament, the Asia Cup 2025. In the same video, RP Singh said: “Suryakumar Yadav has to enhance himself as a skipper. How to form a batting order, what changes need to be made. We’ve seen his firepower as a batter, but as a captain, we have yet to see the edge, and I think we might witness that in the Asia Cup 2025.”Â
Interestingly, Suryakumar Yadav is yet to lose a bilateral T20I series as captain with back-to-back series wins against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, and England. As a batter, the right-hander has amassed 2598 runs in 83 matches at a strike rate of 167.07, including 4 centuries and 21 half-centuries. The 34-year-old, however, managed just 28 runs in five innings during the T20I series against England at home earlier this year in January.
The Mumbai Indians batter then turned things around to become the second highest run getter in IPL 2025, scoring 717 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 167.91 including five half-centuries.
The stage is set for India to play their first Asia Cup game in Dubai on Wednesday 10th September 2025 against UAE from 8 PM IST. It remains to be seen what kind of team composition India goes with overall. The batting department will be in focus but it seems that Samson will miss out and Gill as he is the vice-captain will play in Playing XI. Abhishek Sharma is the number one T20I batter now and he shall play this game. The final team composition we will get to know at toss time.
Let’s see how things pan out and whether India can make a winning start to Asia Cup 2025. They should, but stranger things have happened in the past.
Also Read:Â Asia Cup 2025: Bharat Arun Concerned About Match Fitness Of Arshdeep Singh