At a time when numbers are being dissected and patience is running thin, belief has become a rare but powerful currency in the Indian dressing room. With the spotlight firmly on India’s leadership group, young opener Abhishek Sharma has chosen conviction over criticism, openly backing captain Suryakumar Yadav and vice-captain Shubman Gill despite their prolonged struggles with the bat.
Both the senior batters are enduring their most difficult year in T20 internationals. Suryakumar Yadav’s form has dipped sharply, with just 213 runs in 2025 at an average of 14.20 and a strike rate of 125.29. Among captains from full-member nations who have crossed 200 runs in a calendar year, no one has averaged lesser than SKY.
Shubman Gill’s returns have been only marginally better. He has scored 291 runs at an average of 24.25 with a strike rate of 137.26 and has failed to register even a single half-century since returning as India’s opener in September.
The pressure intensified further during the third T20I against South Africa. Once again, both the leaders failed to deliver with the bat, following similar disappointments in the first two games of the series. Shubman Gill managed a cautious 28 off 28 balls, while Suryakumar Yadav could add only 12 from 11 deliveries. With the home T20 World Cup now less than two months away, every low score feels heavier than the last.
Yet Abhishek Sharma, who played a brisk hand of 35 off 18 balls in the same match, offered a very different perspective after India’s seven-wicket win. Drawing from years of shared dressing rooms and on-field experiences, he expressed unwavering faith in both the players. He believes that their quality will eventually shine through and that they will play decisive roles for India not just in the World Cup but in the matches leading up to it as well. In Shubman Gill’s case especially, Abhishek feels familiarity with conditions and adaptability across situations will soon win over doubters.
Suryakumar, for his part, has shown no signs of self-doubt. Following the victory, which was set up by an impressive bowling performance, the captain brushed aside talk of being out of form. He maintained that his preparation has been strong and that good batting in practice will eventually translate into runs in matches.
Shubman Gill, meanwhile, remains under intense scrutiny. He has not addressed the media yet but his selection carries added weight. His return as opener during the 2025 Asia Cup came at the cost of Sanju Samson, who had scored three centuries in that role, and also led to Axar Patel losing the vice-captaincy. Unlike Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill does not have a long record of T20 success at the international level to fall back on.
In a climate driven by results and impatience, Abhishek Sharma’s support stands out. Whether that faith is rewarded soon could shape not just careers but India’s World Cup hopes.
