Gautam Gambhir has animated chat with Shubman Gill before India vs Australia 4th T20I

With 29 games, Shubman Gill has played the most international matches for India so far this year. Axar Patel is second with 26.

Shubman Gill’s lean run with the bat has been one of India’s biggest talking points during their tour of Australia. The young India captain in Tests and also in ODIs has struggled to find his rhythm in the shortest format, with his scores and strike rate both under scrutiny.

Watch: Gambhir-Gill in serious conversation

Ahead of the fourth T20I at the Carrara Oval in Gold Coast, head coach Gautam Gambhir was spotted having a long and animated conversation with Gill during a training session. While the entire team were having their drills and routine training, Gambhir seemed to be indulging in a serious conversation about something. Fans feel it might be about Gill’s dwindling form.

Gill searches for rhythm amid poor run

Since his T20I return at the 2025 Asia Cup, Gill has found runs hard to come by. In ten innings across the last few series, he has scored only 184 runs at an average of 23 and a strike rate of 146, with a highest score of 47. His ODI numbers haven’t been encouraging either, just 43 runs in three matches against Australia last month.

Gill’s recent scores in the limited-overs leg of the tour read 0, 9, 24, 37*, 5, and 15. These are not the numbers of hugely talented bloke like Gill, who is touted as the present and future of India. The only time he looked comfortable was in Canberra, where he stitched a fluent partnership with Suryakumar Yadav before rain washed out play.

Overall, the right-hander’s T20I record stands at 31 matches, 762 runs, an average of 28.22, and a strike rate of 140.85, including three fifties and a century, the unbeaten 126* that against New Zealand at his beloved Narendra Modi Stadium. With Gill being the vice-captain of the T20I side, he needs to perform big time. India are keeping Yashasvi Jaiswal on the bench and missing out on his terrific T20 skills.

Most T20I runs for IND as opener (Since 2023)