IND Vs BAN: Shubman Gill Out Of T20I Team; 3 Indian Batters Who Can Replace Him

Abhishek Sharma could be a candidate to replace Gill [X]Abhishek Sharma could be a candidate to replace Gill [X]

The last few months haven't been worth remembering for Shubman Gill as far as his on-field performances are concerned. After leading India to an emphatic T20I series victory over Zimbabwe, the stylish batter sustained a rough patch on the Sri Lanka tour, failing to live up to the expectations. 

Although the Duleep Trophy gave him a golden opportunity to regain his mojo, Gill couldn't capitalise on it, recording low scores for India A in their tournament opener against India B. His technical flaws were exploited by ace speedster Navdeep Saini, who got his prized scalp on two consecutive occasions. 

Meanwhile, Gill, who is expected to play a crucial role for India in the upcoming Bangladesh Tests, might not feature in the T20I leg of the tour. If reports are to be believed, the elegant Punjab batter might be rested for the T20Is as the Indian think tank wants to manage his workload and keep him fresh for the Test season. 

So, as Gill will likely be excluded from India's T20I squad for the Bangladesh series, let's see which batters could replace him. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad

Regarded as the next big thing in Indian cricket, Ruturaj Gaikwad can be Gill's like-for-like replacement, as he can provide the Men in Blue with a steady start at the top order. In 20 T20I innings, Gaikwad has amassed 633 runs at an impressive average of 39.56 and a strike rate of 143.54. 

The flamboyant stroke player has ample experience in T20s, having led the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. So, besides scoring crucial runs at the top, Gaikwad can assist Suryakumar Yadav with his strategic inputs. 

Abhishek Sharma

If India want to form a fearsome opening pair, there's no better option than Abhishek Sharma to partner Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top. The swashbuckling left-handed batter exhibited sublime form in his maiden T20I series, slamming a blistering ton to announce his arrival in the shortest format. 

Considering Bangladesh's spin-heavy bowling unit, Abhishek's ability to maul the tweakers can make him India's go-to man in the series. Being someone who can chip in with a few overs of left-arm off-spin, Abhishek might catch Gautam Gambhir's attention, as the head coach prefers including multi-dimensional players in the white-ball setup. 

B Sai Sudharsan

In an out-of-the-box move, India might consider replacing Shubman Gill with B Sai Sudharsan in their T20I squad for the Bangladesh series. Ideally, Sudharsan shouldn't be preferred ahead of Gaikwad and Abhishek, but his recent performances in the TNPL could prompt the BCCI to give him an opportunity to showcase his potential on the biggest stage. 

The southpaw ensures stability at the top order, as he has the perfect technique and temperament to deal with Bangladesh's rampant pace attack. Given that Jaiswal will play the aggressor's role, Sudharsan can be an ideal anchor for India in the series.