Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned the team management’s decision to play Jitesh Sharma at the expense of Sanju Samson in the third T20I against Australia. He pointed out that Jitesh, who was widely considered to be India’s likely first-choice wicketkeeper-batter when Shubman Gill began opening, was not given a single opportunity during the entire Asia Cup 2025.
Australia set India a target of 187 runs in the third T20I held in Hobart on Sunday, November 2. In the chase, Jitesh Sharma scored an unbeaten 22 off 13 deliveries, helping India achieve the target with five wickets and nine balls to spare.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel “Aakash Chopra,” the former India opener expressed that one should not read too much into the team management’s decision to play Jitesh over Samson. He highlighted that Sanju Samson, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter, had not been given a game in the Asia Cup 2025 despite expectations that he would be the preferred choice.
“Jitesh Sharma has played and Sanju Samson hasn’t played. So, what does it mean? I would say do not read anything between the lines for a simple reason, that we are unable to understand. Why are we searching for logic? When Shubman Gill started opening, it was assumed Jitesh Sharma would only play down the order,” Chopra said (12:00).
He further added, “The entire Asia Cup passed and he didn’t play. First Sanju played down the order and then up the order. Sanju played in the final as well and scored a few important runs. Now you sent him at No. 3 in one innings and then dropped him after that. I know Sanju’s fans will be rightly angry, but I don’t see any finality in this, that he won’t be there and Jitesh Sharma will only play because this was a slightly randomized selection.”
Sanju Samson was pushed down to the middle order after Shubman Gill was included in India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad and made vice-captain. During the continental tournament, Samson scored 132 runs at a strike rate of 124.52 in four innings. However, he lost his place after scoring just two runs batting at No. 3 in the second T20I against Australia.
**“He is unable to score runs” – Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill’s struggles in AUS vs IND 2025 3rd T20I**
In the same video, Aakash Chopra addressed concerns over Shubman Gill’s recent form on the Australian tour.
“Shubman Gill needs to be spoken about because he is unable to score runs. He played well in Canberra in the first match. In Melbourne, the ball hit him on his head and he played a slightly loose shot as well, and here he got out to an absolutely full ball,” Chopra said (13:20).
The cricketer-turned-commentator emphasized that the Indian vice-captain must find runs in the remaining two T20Is, especially with Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal waiting in the wings as potential opening options.
“There is a question mark. You are coming under pressure. It is not a good thing. I won’t say even for once that Shubman Gill is out of form because he has been in incredible form in 2025, but he is short of runs at the moment. ODI series, Asia Cup, and this now, and with Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal breathing down his neck, Shubman Gill needs to score runs in the two remaining games,” Chopra observed.
Shubman Gill scored 15 runs off 12 deliveries in the third T20I against Australia. While the Indian Test and ODI captain remained unbeaten on 37 runs off 20 balls in the first T20I in Canberra, he managed only five runs off 10 deliveries in the second game in Melbourne.
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*Edited by Kartik Iyer*
https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/news-the-entire-asia-cup-passed-play-aakash-chopra-questions-indian-team-management-aus-vs-ind-2025-3rd-t20i
