Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed Shubman Gill to be the highest run-scorer in the Asia Cup 2025. Gill is coming into the continental tournament on the back of a successful Test series against England.
The Indian Test skipper amassed 754 runs in five Test matches at an average of 75.40, including four centuries. Furthermore, Gill scored 650 runs in 15 matches of IPL 2025 while leading the Gujarat Titans at an impressive strike rate of 155.87.
Gill has been appointed as India’s vice-captain and thus he is expected to open the innings with Abhishek Sharma ahead of Sanju Samson.
Ashwin said on his YouTube Channel, “I have my reasons to say that. He is also aware that there has been some talk around his batting. There can be talk, but Shubman Gil and Abhishek Sharma. Folks get scared with that opening combination. Shubman Gill knows he needs to make runs, and he will want to make runs. He is a run machine. He can make big runs at a lower strike rate.”
“Abhishek Sharma will tee off at one end. Shubman Gill could be the glue around which the team is built up. In today’s times, there is not a lot of need to become the glue in T20 cricket. But Shubman has it in him to play conventional cricket and still make a 100 off 55 balls,” Ashwin said.
On the other hand, Ashwin backed Gill to play ahead of Samson in the final XI. Moreover, he wants Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy to play together.
Ashwin’s possible India XI for Asia Cup 2025 : Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
India, eight-time Asia Cup champions, open their campaign against the UAE at the Dubai International Stadium on September 10.
