AUS vs IND 2025: 'Shubman Gill needs to perform as Yashasvi Jaiswal is waiting on the bench' - T20 World Cup winner's take after 2nd T20I

Shubman Gill played well in the first T20I against Australia, scoring an unbeaten 37 off 20 balls at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. However, he was dismissed for just five in the second T20I at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday, October 31.

The Punjab batter was appointed as the vice-captain of the Indian team in the shortest format ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. However, the talented cricketer has not been able to do justice to his potential. In his last nine innings in T20I cricket, Shubman has aggregated just 164 runs at an average of 23.43.

After India lost the second T20I by four wickets to go 0-1 down in the five-match series, 2007 T20 World Cup winner Irfan Pathan said that Shubman has been getting opportunities and the backing of the selectors, but he hasn't been able to repay the faith shown in his abilities. The former India all-rounder opined that the pressure will be building on Shubman if the runs don't keep coming.

"Coming to Shubman Gill — look, Shubman replaced Sanju Samson, who had scored three centuries as an opener, to open for India in T20Is. Gill has potential, leadership quality, and has scored a lot in the IPL. But he has to perform. In the last ten innings, he hasn’t even scored 200 runs in total. So the pressure will build on him. He’s getting opportunities and backing, but he has to convert that into performances — which we haven’t seen yet," said Pathan on his YouTube channel.

Gill needs to score consistently: Pathan

Pathan stated that Shubman should look to score runs consistently or else the pressure will keep building on him, as the talented Yashasvi Jaiswal is waiting for his opportunity.

"You have Yashasvi Jaiswal — a fantastic T20 player. We’ve seen him in the IPL with a strike rate of 160. If he’s sitting out while Gill keeps getting regular chances and doesn’t deliver, then the pressure will be on both him and the team. Gill needs to score consistently. Otherwise, Yashasvi — who’s not playing ODI cricket right now or T20s for India — a player that talented, who can do wonders, even score 200 in ODIs — it’s a problem that such a player is on the bench," said Pathan.