Shubman Gill's prolonged slump in T20 internationals has ignited fierce debate over India's selection strategy, with critics accusing the team management of prematurely crowning the 26-year-old as the "poster boy" of the post-Kohli-Sharma era at the expense of proven performers like Sanju Samson. Gill's first-ball dismissal for a golden duck in the second T20I against South Africa on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium epitomised his struggles since his recall in September. Lungi Ngidi's seaming delivery in the opening over nipped the edge to slip, leaving India reeling at 0-1 while chasing 214—a collapse that culminated in a 51-run defeat and levelled the five-match series 1-1. Since returning for the Asia Cup, Gill has aggregated just 263 runs across 15 innings against seven opponents in three countries, averaging a dismal 21.92 with a strike rate of 115.56 and no fifties to his name. This stark underperformance contrasts sharply with his exploits in Tests and ODIs, where he boasts averages exceeding 40 and 50, respectively, fuelling accusations of rushed elevation over merit.

The decision to prioritise Gill as opener and vice-captain—displacing Samson after the latter's explosive run as Rohit Sharma's replacement—has been labelled "haste makes waste" by former India batter Robin Uthappa, who questioned the logic post the Mullanpur debacle. Samson, who notched three T20I centuries in 2024, including two against South Africa, was shifted to the middle order upon Gill's comeback but failed to adapt, scoring just 2 and 26 in the Asia Cup before being dropped for the Australia tour in October-November. His recent domestic resurgence in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy—blasting 150+ runs at a strike rate over 160—has only amplified the outcry, with fans and analysts decrying his benching as "collateral damage" in the BCCI's bid to market Gill as the marketable face of a transitional side. Uthappa, speaking on Star Sports, lamented, "What wrong has Sanju done? He's the same guy who got three hundreds in a year," highlighting how Gill's persistence despite four single-digit scores in his last five outings has eroded trust in head coach Gautam Gambhir's blueprint.

India's white-ball transitions have historically hinged on iconic figures—MS Dhoni's calming presence in the 2000s-2010s, Virat Kohli's aggression in the mid-2010s, and Rohit Sharma's flair post-2020—each evolving organically through consistent output rather than imposed narratives. Gill, with his boyish charm and IPL captaincy pedigree at Gujarat Titans, fits the commercial mould, but his T20I travails—marked by a dot-ball percentage drop from 39.8 to 32.8 amid forced aggression—suggest the selectors may have overlooked the format's unforgiving pace. A viral five-year-old tweet from Gambhir praising Samson's "explosive potential" resurfaced amid the backlash, underscoring the irony of the coach's current favouritism toward Gill, now eyed for an A+ BCCI contract alongside Suryakumar Yadav. Social media erupted with memes dubbing Gill the "prince" versus Samson's "common man" status, while calls for Yashasvi Jaiswal's inclusion grow louder ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.

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As the series shifts to Dharamsala for the third T20I on December 14, pressure mounts on Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav to recalibrate. Samson remains in the squad but is sidelined for Jitesh Sharma's keeping prowess and batting depth, a tactical nod to balance over flair. With New Zealand's tour looming as a World Cup dress rehearsal, India's top-order conundrum risks derailing momentum from the ODI series win. Gill's class is undoubted—evident in his IPL 2025 haul of 650 runs at a strike rate of 155—but T20 demands adaptation, not anointing. The cost of this experiment could prove steep if Samson, with his powerplay strike rate of 150+, continues to languish, potentially fracturing team harmony and fan faith in the post-Rohit-Kohli rebuild.

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