'If they go back to Samson, it becomes very important for him to score runs.'
Former India pacer Irfan Pathan said Shubman Gill needs to rediscover his form as his lack of runs in T20Is is putting pressure on him and the team management, particularly with someone like Sanju Samson waiting on the sidelines.
Gill fell for a first-ball duck as India suffered a 51-run defeat in the second T20 International against South Africa in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on Thursday, December 11, 2025.
The India vice-captain has struggled with the bat in T20 Internationals this year, managing just 263 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 142.93 without a single half-century.
'Shubman Gill will say he got a very good ball and looked stuck at the crease. But if Gill was in form, he would have played that ball easily. He is not in form. Ngidi has bowled only three overs to him so far in the powerplay in this series and got him out twice, giving just four runs. He is putting a lot of pressure on Gill with the new ball,' Pathan said on JioHotstar.
Samson boasts of a superb record in T20 Internationals, with 995 runs in 51 matches at a strike rate of 147.40, including three centuries and as many fifties. He forged a successful partnership with Abhishek Sharma and was deservedly a regular starter in T20Is before he was unfairly pushed out to accommodate Gill in the playing XI while Jitesh Sharma took over the gloves.
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee's hasty decision to bring in Gill for Samson has backfired so far and they could be forced into a serious rethink if the former continues to struggle for runs.
'The runs not coming from Gill's bat is a bad sign and increases the pressure on him and the team management. They will be asking what to do. This situation should not get worse.
'If the runs still don't come, you can't just bring Sanju Samson back and expect him to perform if he is also rusty. There are many questions. If they go back to Samson, it becomes very important for him to score runs.'
Pathan also believes Suryakumar Yadav will be feeling the pressure after a poor showing with the bat so far in 2025. In 19 matches played so far this year, the skipper has managed just 201 runs in 19 matches at a strike rate of 126.41 without a single fifty.
'Surya will be under pressure because he's the captain and as a captain, your slot in the playing 11 is secured automatically. As a player, if you haven't scored runs in a year, you are under pressure. His form has to come back before the World Cup. He needs the right batting position and better shot selection,' he added.
'Surya has shown a pattern of playing straight balls to the leg side and getting out. When you're not scoring, you should try to play in the off-side and in front. He has the skill to bring the ball in front of his eyes and use the pace, that's how he will start scoring again.'
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