"You have to do what you do probably better than everyone else" - Aakash Chopra's advice for Shubman Gill ahead of IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 clash

Former India player Aakash Chopra has urged Shubman Gill to follow his usual template and not look to bat too aggressively in the Men in Blues' Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash against Pakistan. He noted that Gill doesn't need to bat as explosively as Sanju Samson just because he has replaced him at the top of the order.

India will face Pakistan in the second Super Four game of the Asia Cup 2025 in Dubai on Sunday, September 21. Suryakumar Yadav and company had registered an emphatic seven-wicket win in the Group A game between the two sides at the same venue on September 14.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener opined that Gill should play his natural game and not look to follow Samson's approach.

"Abhishek Sharma has been playing well thus far. He is giving starts at a strike rate of 200 in every match. He has scored 30-odd runs in double quick speed and given everyone else a chance to breathe. However, Gill hasn't fired. He remained not out on 20 in the first match for sure, but after that, he got out to Saim Ayub's ball, and then got bowled," Chopra said (4:50).

"So that is one area that we need to address. Although it's in our mind that Gill has come in place of Sanju and should do a job like Sanju, give an explosive start, but these are not those kinds of pitches. 200 runs won't be scored here. So Gill, you have to do what you do probably better than everyone else," he added.

Chopra highlighted that Gill needs to bat deep into the innings, especially if Axar Patel is unavailable due to the head injury he sustained in India's last group game against Oman.

"Just bat deep into the innings. After that, when you wish, after you have gotten set and have played seven to 10 overs, I don't care even if you get out while trying to hit a six. However, you need to be there for this team to bat deeper, especially if Axar isn't there and you have a slight lack of depth in batting. Then Gill's role will increase even further," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra highlighted that India won't be able to play an additional batter as Axar Patel's replacement if the spin-bowling all-rounder is ruled out of the game. He opined that Arshdeep Singh would come into the XI as the second specialist seamer in such a scenario.

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"He will be sent down the order only" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson's likely batting position in IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 clash

Sanju Samson scored a half-century at No. 3 in India's Asia Cup 2025 clash against Oman. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Sanju Samson would have to move down the order despite scoring a 45-ball 56 at No. 3 in India's previous game against Oman.

"I feel they will not send Sanju Samson at No. 3 even now. He will be sent down the order only, although the evidence from the last match suggests that Sanju can play at No. 3 and Tilak Varma can play even at No. 7. However, they will have to flip it because this is against Pakistan," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator picked India's bowling vs Pakistan's batting as the key battle in Sunday's game.

"The showstopper of this match could be India's bowling vs Pakistan's batting. Pakistan's batting has to stand up and get counted because they were stuck even against the UAE. You wouldn't have reached where you reached had Shaheen Shah Afridi not hit those sixes," Chopra observed.

While acknowledging that the shortest format and the bowler-friendly pitch in Dubai could bring the two sides closer, Aakash Chopra reckoned India would start as the firm favorites. He noted that it could be a one-sided game if the Pakistan batters are unable to negotiate the 12 overs from Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav properly.