India, Dec. 11 -- Shubman Gill, who delivered a coming-of-age performance in his debut series as Test captain against England with a staggering 754 runs, convincing the BCCI selectors to chart a bigger plan around the 25-year-old, has struggled to mirror that form in the shortest format. In 13 T20Is this year, Gill has managed just 263 runs off 183 balls at a strike rate of 143-plus, hitting only four sixes - two of them in the powerplay. With the T20 World Cup just two months away, his slump has raised concerns, sparking fresh support on social media for Sanju Samson, who was pushed out of the opening role to accommodate Gill after he was made T20I vice-captain.

As the debate continues, another player, once India's preferred T20I opener...