Exclusive: India Need to Back Kuldeep Yadav and Consider Shubman Gill for Asia Cup, says Former Spinner Pragyan Ojha

The Indian cricket team has transitioned in style from the Virat Kohli-Rohit Sharma era as they levelled the high-profile five-match Test series in England 2-2. The success in England has opened the T20I door for Test captain Shubman Gill, who last appeared in the format in July 2024 against Sri Lanka.

Gill is now in the reckoning to return to the format with the Asia Cup T20 starting September 9 in the United Arab Emirates. Additionally, his Indian Premier League record of 650 runs in the 2025 edition could push his case.

Former India spinner Pragyan Ojha, who made his Test debut during a transitional period in 2009 under Mahendra Singh Dhoni, felt the new Indian team was promising as they did not give up despite trailing in the series. 

"Gill is trying to carry forward the legacy, being aware of the benchmark and the challenges. They want to maintain the high standard set by the seniors. He looks pretty clear. He earned respect in the dressing room for leading from the front with 754 runs with the bat. One has to walk the talk to do that," he told SportsBoom.com. 

Gill boost for India at the Asia Cup T20?

Ojha highlighted that Gill is in the golden phase of his career, and in such situations, appearing in all formats could benefit Team India. 

"I don’t know if Gill will be picked, but if you see from the point of view of leading the Test team, drawing the series and getting 700+ runs, he would be raring to have a go at the Asia Cup. It can help him grow as a cricketer and get the best out of him, though the format is different. He is a different player now. The body language is different, and he looked in control of the situation in England," added the veteran, who finished with 113 Test wickets and 31 white-ball wickets across ODIs and T20Is for India.

The future of Karun Nair

Thirty-three-year-old Nair returned to Test cricket after eight years but did not meet expectations. The seasoned batter could score only one fifty [57 at The Oval] in eight innings, and a fighting 40, and finish with an aggregate of 205 runs at an average of 25.62.

Ojha believed that India would have been in deep trouble if Nair had not scored that fifty, but that may not be good enough to cement his spot in the side. 

"I don’t know the future, as there are people in charge of that. As a cricketer, when I see from a distance, that contribution at The Oval was outstanding, but we have to see how the selectors think, as he is not a youngster."

Kuldeep Yadav, a must in the XI

Wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav's exclusion in all five Tests in England surprised Ojha. India will play four more Test matches this year, two against West Indies and two against South Africa. It is unclear if Yadav will be selected for the final team. 

"It is unfortunate Kuldeep didn’t play any of the games. The wicket does not matter for a bowler like him. He has the skills that could trouble batters in SENA countries. He should be in the playing XI, home or away, as he is a match-winner. Off-spinner Washington Sundar’s fighting 101* at Manchester, and 53 at The Oval, four-wicket haul at Lord's was crucial."

If India's regular T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav fails to recover in time from the sports hernia surgery he had in June, the captaincy could go to Gill, who will next lead the North Zone in the Duleep Trophy, India's domestic competition starting August 28. 

And one must not forget that Gill has a T20I century and strikes the ball at almost 140.