"The entire Asia Cup passed and he didn't play" - Aakash Chopra questions Indian team management after AUS vs IND 2025 3rd T20I

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned the team management for playing Jitesh Sharma at Sanju Samson's expense in the third T20I against Australia. He noted that Jitesh, who was assumed to be the Men in Blue's likely first-choice wicketkeeper-batter when Shubman Gill started opening, wasn't given a chance in the entire Asia Cup 2025.

Australia set India a 187-run target in the third T20I in Hobart on Sunday, November 2. Jitesh scored an unbeaten 22 off 13 deliveries in the chase as the visitors achieved the target with five wickets and nine balls to spare.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener opined that one shouldn't read too much into the team management's decision to play Jitesh in place of Samson. He highlighted that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter wasn't given a game in the Asia Cup 2025 despite everyone assuming 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). "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," he added.

Sanju Samson was pushed to the middle order after Shubman Gill was picked in India's squad for the Asia Cup 2025 and made the vice-captain. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter scored 132 runs at a strike rate of 124.52 in four innings in the continental tournament, but lost his place after managing only two runs at No. 3 in the second T20I against Australia.

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"He is unable to score runs" - Aakash Chopra on Shubman Gill falling cheaply again in AUS vs IND 2025 3rd T20I

Shubman Gill hasn't been at his best in his last few white-ball games. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Shubman Gill hasn't been among the runs 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," he said (13:20).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the Indian vice-captain needs to score runs in the final two T20Is, highlighting that Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal are waiting in the wings as 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. Although the Indian Test and ODI captain remained unbeaten on a 20-ball 37 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