At only the age of 25, the “Prince of Indian Cricket,” Shubman Gill, has already established a grand reputation. Nevertheless, even after his incredible
consistency, criticism still rages against him. When the announcement of the Asia Cup team excluded Shreyas Iyer, some unfortunate fans wrongly attributed the blame on Gill. However, the statistics have a different tale to tell; the Test captain hasn't displaced anyone; he has worked hard to get his own place.
Stats that speak for themselves
Having scored over 2000 ODI runs at the average of 59.04, Gill has established himself as one of the dependable batters. In the IPL of 2025, he under pressure also performed brilliantly and scored over 650 runs while leading with maturity. His good work continued during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, wherein he smashed 754 runs, breaking multiple records and also proving he can play all formats and conditions well. He is not only consistent, but also boasts leadership qualities, who leads the charge across the length of the game.
The Shreyas Iyer Debate
Shreyas Iyer is still India's stylish and useful middle-order player and has been consistent recently. However, the Indian team is blessed with depth in that department, comprising Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya to name a few. Gill, meanwhile, completes a valuable requirement at the top of the order. Since Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are in their twilight years, Gill is being groomed as a long-term opening and prospective captain. Blaming Gill for Iyer's non-inclusion in the Asia Cup team is absolutely incorrect, since it was an issue of balance and role deployment, not just a replacement.
Why the Hate?
Excessive expectations, the “Prince”, and constant comparison to Virat Kohli equate to Gill receiving as much bashing as appreciation. Under the age of social media, one failure equals trolling, whereas even achievements are questioned. History is such that each generation has one polarizing character; Gill is the target today. The Punjab-born's career has just begun, but he already seems set to spearhead the next generation of Indian batting.
Scepticism and success often go hand-in-hand, but his bat has dealt with it just fine. If he continues this pace, the “Most Hated Prince” will soon turn into being the “Most Reliable King-in-Waiting”—not merely with his batting, but as a leader India can rely on in the future.
~ By Neetu Attri
