Shubman Gill is reportedly set to make his comeback in the T20I format at the upcoming Asia Cup in September 2025, but several other Indian stars are vying for spots in the playing XI, potentially threatening the Test captain's position. The Asia Cup 2025, scheduled to be held in the UAE in September, will be played in the T20 format.

Gill's potential return to the T20I side comes after a series of strong performances, including his leadership in the IPL 2025, where he led Gujarat Titans to the playoffs. He also led the Test team in England, drawing the series. His ability to anchor innings and his recent leadership experience make him a valuable asset for the team. Gill has 578 runs in 21 T20I innings with an average of 30.4 and a strike rate of 139.3. His last T20I appearance was against Sri Lanka on July 30, 2024.

However, Gill faces stiff competition from other players who have also performed well recently. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan are also strong contenders for the top-order spots. Jaiswal scored 559 runs at a strike rate of 160 in the last IPL season, while Sudharsan was the 'Orange Cap' winner with 759 runs at a strike rate of 156. Other players in contention include Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.

Shreyas Iyer is another player who could make a T20I comeback. Iyer had 1104 runs in 47 T20I innings, averaging 30.7 with a strike rate of 136.1. He last played a T20I against Australia on December 3, 2023. In IPL 2025, Iyer scored 604 runs in 17 innings, averaging 50.33 with a strike rate of 175.07.

With Suryakumar Yadav recovering from a lower abdomen surgery, the captaincy for the Asia Cup 2025 is also uncertain. If Suryakumar is not fit in time, the selectors may have to choose between Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya for the leadership role. Suryakumar has been India's regular T20I captain since Rohit Sharma's exit after the T20 World Cup 2024.

The Asia Cup 2025 is important for India as it serves as preparation for the T20 World Cup 2026, which they will co-host with Sri Lanka. The team will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, with Axar Patel most likely as his deputy. The likely squad includes Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, and Mohammed Siraj.

India is in Group A along with Pakistan, UAE, and Oman. The Asia Cup 2025 final is scheduled for September 28 in Dubai.