Former cricketer Dinesh Karthik has backed Shubman Gill to get back into the Indian T20I side amid his exceptional run of form in white-ball cricket. The ODI skipper made a massive statement after scoring a historic 223* in the eight-wicket win over West Indies to seal the series at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati.
Shubman Gill is the No. 1-ranked ODI batter in the world, and leads India in multiple formats. However, he has not been able to cement his place in the T20I setup due to a combination of form, approach, and intense competition. The star opener had a run as vice-captain of the team from the Asia Cup onwards in 2025, but was dropped before the T20 World Cup 2026.
With the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and Sanju Samson having a strong foothold in the T20I opening department, Shubman Gill has had to be patient on the sidelines. He has developed his short-format game, scoring at a quicker rate during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign and the recently held Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2026.
Dinesh Karthik predicted that it is only a matter of time before Shubman Gill is reintegrated into the T20I setup as well.
“223 not out is amazing enough in itself, but to do it in a chase, and with the conviction that he has shown. Right from the get-go, he was very sure, played lovely shots in the powerplay, and showed good intent, but that intent never dropped. It just kept going up. Shubman is someone who is capable of playing both ODIs and Tests. In any other country, he would be playing all three formats. India is so strong that he has not found a place in the T20 setup consistently, and I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t get there very soon,” Dinesh Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
The former wicket-keeper also hailed Shubman Gill’s conduct and demeanor over the years, crediting him for not letting anything affect his game in any way whatsoever.
“On and off the field, his behavior is exemplary, for a young kid, he has got a very mature head on his shoulders, he has a good amount of fun off the field, but even when he is doing whatever he is doing in terms of fun or chilling, he is very dedicated to his work in the gym, fitness, running, and hours of practice as well. That, I don’t think he compromises for anything else,” he added.
Shubman Gill became only the second player after Rohit Sharma to record multiple ODI double hundreds, and the second player in history to record an ODI double hundred in a run chase. The skipper’s efforts ensured India completed their highest-ever run chase in the format, scaling down 406 runs in just 43.3 overs.
“I felt that they would have chased down even 450-500” – Ajinkya Rahane’s massive praise for Shubman Gill and co. in IND vs WI 2026 2nd ODI
Former cricketer Ajinkya Rahane hailed the Indian batters for the way they went about the run chase in terms of intent and execution. The Men in Blue negated the required run rate by smashing 92 runs in the powerplay and dominated the middle overs to reach the target.
“After watching them, I felt that they would have chased down even 450-500, we were talking about it. Yes, the wicket was flat, but it was still brilliant to see. The way they batted, I feel for the bowlers. We are happy that the Indian team has won, but I feel bad for the bowlers from both teams. On such pitches, the margin of error, what to bowl, you don’t know. At the end of the day, whatever you do, the way the Indian batters played, really tough for the bowlers,” Ajinkya Rahane said on Cricbuzz.
India claimed an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series and will face West Indies in the final ODI in Mullanpur on Saturday, October 3.
Edited by Gokul Nair
