Irfan Pathan: Shubman Gill has levelled up his T20 batting for India

The continental tournament begins in less than a week, with India opening their campaign against the United Arab Emirates.

Gill, 25, was recently confirmed as both captain and vice-captain of the squad, a dual role that underlines the selectors' confidence in his leadership potential.

However, the young batter enters the tournament under scrutiny, as he has not featured in a T20 International for over a year. This absence, coupled with ongoing debate about his effectiveness as a T20 batter, has led to questions about whether he can anchor India's batting in the shortest format.

Pathan, however, believes Gill has the tools to silence the doubters.

"I think Shubman Gill has improved his T20 cricket a lot, particularly in the last few seasons, including in the IPL," Irfan told India Today.

"When he first began at KKR, I vaguely recall his strike rate hovering around 125. That has now improved to 150. Last year's IPL saw him strike at over 150 while consistently piling up runs at a higher rate."

The former cricketer expressed confidence that Gill's evolution as a batter will serve India well in the high-pressure Asia Cup environment.