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Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Shubman Gill for bouncing back from a middling run in the Asia Cup 2025 and playing a crucial knock in the first T20I against Australia. While observing that Gill couldn't have been questioned after the kind of year he has had, Chopra noted that a few questions were being raised as the Indian vice-captain had replaced Sanju Samson at the top of the order in the shortest format.Gill scored an unbeaten 37 off 20 deliveries in the first T20I against Australia in Canberra on Wednesday, October 29. The game didn't yield a result as rain stopped proceedings after India had reached 97/1 in 9.4 overs while batting first.During a discussion on Star Sports, Chopra was asked about his thoughts on Gill's knock in the first T20I."There was no question about his class, and in my opinion, there was no question about his form as well. There was a slight backdrop about the Asia Cup. Sanju Samson was opening. You have been made the vice-captain in T20 cricket, which means you will open now. So Sanju Samson, who has scored three centuries, won't get a chance," the former India opener responded."So suddenly you start asking questions. If you write a new story, there are some subtexts to it, there are some questions. It was about how he would move forward after the middling performance in the Asia Cup. Otherwise, no one has the right to ask questions after the 2025 Shubman Gill has had," he added.Aakash Chopra highlighted that Shubman Gill has played extremely well this year across formats and across continents. He added that Wednesday's innings was extremely crucial for Gill's own confidence, as the knock validated that he can do at the top of the order what Sanju Samson had been doing."He was trying to bat like this even in the ODIs" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill's approach in AUS vs IND 2025 1st T20IShubman Gill struck four fours and a six during his unbeaten 37-run knock. [P/C: Getty]In the same discussion, Aakash Chopra was asked whether Shubman Gill had done anything different from what he did in the preceding ODI series against Australia."Actually, nothing has changed. He was trying to bat like this even in the ODIs. Runs weren't scored, but whatever deliveries he played, he looked very comfortable and convincing even in ODI cricket. Your name is written at times on an odd delivery, sometimes you are trying to run too fast, and you get out in the process," he replied.The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Gill's knock would have put to rest potential questions about him replacing Sanju Samson as an opener."He is at the top of his game currently, whether you see it mentally, physically, technically, or even tactically. 2025 has been Shubman Gill's year. He needed to score runs because if he hadn't scored runs here and hadn't scored runs in two more matches, you and I would have been saying that Sanju was also doing well, so why couldn't you have continued opening with Sanju Samson?" Chopra observed.To conclude, Aakash Chopra opined that the Indian selectors and team management potentially thought they might need an opener who can also anchor the innings if required. He added that Shubman Gill needed to score runs at the start of the series from that perspective.
