Former Indian batter and commentator Wasim Jaffer has shared his thoughts on India’s T20I setup ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, especially on the form of captain Suryakumar Yadav and the growing presence of vice-captain Shubman Gill.
Wasim Jaffer believes that Suryakumar Yadav’s position as India’s T20I captain is not under threat despite Shubman Gill’s rapid rise, but his inconsistency with the bat while leading the side remains a genuine concern, and he must address this before things slip from his hands.
Wasim Jaffer raises concern over Suryakumar Yadav’s form ahead of Asia Cup 2025
Since taking over as India’s T20I skipper, Suryakumar Yadav has managed only 558 runs in 22 T20Is. These numbers are below expectations for a player of his caliber, with his last series against England particularly worrying, where he managed just 28 runs at a poor average of 5.60 and two ducks.
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The commentator has pointed out that Suryakumar had become over-reliant on his leg-side game and wasn’t making the most of scoring opportunities on the offside.
Wasim Jaffer was quoted as saying by The Times of India, “His numbers dropping (while leading India) is a worry. His not getting the runs is a concern. In the last few internationals he played, he was looking to score mostly behind square on the leg side. His shot selection was not up to the mark.”
Wasim Jaffer hopes Suryakumar Yadav will silence his doubters
However, the right-handed batter’s turnaround in IPL 2025 offered some encouragement, as he began finding runs across the ground again, but he needs to prove himself in the Asia Cup 2025.
Jaffer further noted, “But he has since worked on his game, and as we saw, he was a completely different player in the IPL. He started scoring on the offside as well. When Surya plays shots all around the wicket, there’s not much the bowlers can do. He is very dangerous. Then there isn’t margin for the bowlers. He has done well in the IPL; hopefully, that should continue.”
Wasim Jaffer says Shubman Gill’s appointment isn’t a threat to Suryakumar Yadav
On the other hand, Shubman Gill’s elevation as vice-captain has been seen as a sign of trust in his leadership potential. The 26-year-old, who has also been leading India in Tests, continues to strengthen his reputation with big performances and a calm presence at the top as the skipper.
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But Jaffer stressed that having Gill as the vice-captain doesn’t mean the captain is under pressure, but it shows the selectors’ long-term vision for bigger responsibilities, as Jasprit Bumrah is being managed carefully and Hardik Pandya is currently not in the picture.
He signed off by saying, “Every tour, every series, you have a vice-captain. It doesn’t mean the captain is under threat. Selectors have made it clear—Bumrah can’t play every series, so he’s out. Hardik? They’re not looking at him for now. That leaves Shubman and maybe Shreyas (Iyer) when he’s back.”
However, the former England spinner Monty Panesar said that the Indian selectors may move on from Suryakumar and hand the white-ball captaincy to Gill if he doesn’t perform well or fails to win the 2025 Asia Cup. He also predicted that Gill would be India’s all-format captain once Rohit Sharma retires.
