Did Gill's performance justify a change? Shashi Tharoor reignites Sanju Samson opening debate after Asia Cup

Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, questioned when Shubman Gill justified his spot in the Indian T20 side after the conclusion of the Asia Cup, as his return meant that wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson had to be slotted in the middle-order. Given how Abhishek Sharma batted in the Asia Cup, being the leading run-getter, Tharoor felt that it wasn't right to break up his opening combination with Samson, who had smashed three centuries in the last 10 innings opening the batting.

"Was it right to break up the hugely successful opening partnership of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson and relegate a three-time centurion to a middle slot where he was uncomfortable? Did Gill’s performances at the Asia Cup justify such a change? Would it not be better to restore Sanju to the place where he has shone for India, put Gill at number three, and have Surya take the number five slot instead?" Tharoor put his point across, saying that asking a few questions despite the win would be fair.

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Gill vs Samson, who performed better at the Asia Cup?

And Tharoor wasn't all that wrong! Gill, who was coming back after more than a year, aggregated just 127 runs in seven innings, averaging 21.6, with the highest of 47. Yes, he had a couple of good partnerships with his childhood friend Abhishek at the top, but it came at the expense of Samson being demoted to the middle-order role, where he wasn't all comfortable.

Samson was batting at three one day, at six one day and five on a couple of occasions and still managed to score a half-century against Oman, an attractive 39 off 23 against Sri Lanka and then a 24 against Pakistan in the final, stitching a fifty-run partnership with Tilak Varma after India had lost three early wickets.

Gill was also named the vice-captain and hence, his performance may have given selectors some time to think over their decision, especially with the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting in the wings. Samson, on the other hand, may not have lit up the tournament, but may have done enough with both bat and gloves to retain his spot as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter for the Australia series.

Gill will get busy with the Test series against the West Indies and then will be part of the ODI setup in Australia, the series which many are waiting for more reasons than one.