For months now, the most animated debate around India’s T20I setup has centered on one deceptively simple question: who should open with Abhishek Sharma? The left-hander has sealed his spot with commanding form and unwavering intent, yet the identity of his partner remains a point of national contention. As things stand, vice-captain Shubman Gill continues to be the preferred choice, even as Sanju Samson, the man with three T20I hundreds in 2024, watches from the periphery.

To understand how head coach Gautam Gambhir has arrived at this decision, one might need more than selectorial instinct; perhaps an algebraic equation would explain why he remains wedded to an out-of-form opener less than two months before a World Cup. The Gill question has loomed large over Indian cricket since th

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