India and South Africa continue their ongoing multi-format series by taking on each other across five T20I matches. The two sides will lock horns on December 9, 11, 14, 17, and 19 for the five matches, as they aim to continue their build-up towards the T20 World Cup 2026.
Ahead of the series, the Men in Blue received a big boost as they will reportedly have the services of ace batter Shubman Gill at their disposal. It is worth noting that Gill had missed the second Test and the three-game ODI series against the Proteas due to a neck injury, but he has reportedly made a full recovery and is available for selection.
Ahead of the series, former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan came forward and talked about how he would like it if Gill manages to perform in the upcoming matches and cement his place in India’s T20I squad.
"I would like to see three things in the South Africa series. Firstly, Shubman Gill needs to cement his place in T20 cricket. We believe he is an all-format player. We have seen how he performs in T20 cricket in our league. However, here, he has a chance to cement his place,” Pathan said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Pathan talked about how many opportunities Gill will get
Furthermore, the former all-rounder went on to state that Gill will have as many as five T20Is at his disposal to play his best cricket and hoped that the Indian vice captain can do well in the shortest format.
"There will be slight pressure for sure, but he is a good player, and I hope he performs well in this T20 series. He is coming after a slight injury and will get a lot of opportunities. Five opportunities are a lot, and he will get those opportunities on good pitches. He will like many pitches, where you will get to see pace and bounce, like the Dharamsala pitch," Pathan added.