Poor form in T20 Internationals for Shubman Gill continued on Thursday as he was bowled out for his very first golden duck in international cricket. This came in the second match of their T20 International series against South Africa in New Chandigarh, with concerns rising for India ahead of a looming T20 World Cup. A huge total of 214 was in front of India. In the very first over, on the fifth delivery, Gill edged a good-length delivery from Lungi Ngidi. The delivery pitched on middle and leg, bounced a bit extra, and then moved away as it touched the pitch. Gill, in this attempt, remained rooted to his leg and edged it with a lot of thickness. Reeza Hendricks, dove to his right to take a sharp catch. This wicket was like a Test match wicket, not a Twenty20 wicket. This was Gill’s first golden duck in international cricket. He has played 133 matches in various formats, and never has it occurred that he has been dismissed for a first-ball duck until this match. In total, this was his third golden duck in T20 cricket. His initial two were in the Indian Premier League, and both were against Chennai Super Kings. This happened in 2021 in the Wankhede Stadium, and then in 2022 in Pune. Also Read | T20 World Cup 2026 Tickets Are Live: Where and How to Book Your Tickets Today Decent Test Form but Struggles in T20 Internationals There was a huge impact from a resounding Test series earlier this year, where he had left all witnesses in awe with his performance. Scoring 754 runs as a new test captain, he experienced immense responsibility with pressure as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired. His performance in Tests inspired the selectors to give him a major role in T20 Internationals. He was recalled for the Asia Cup and even became their vice-captain. There were also expectations that Gill would be developed as a permanent captain in the future after the 2026 T20 World Cup. However, his performance in T20 Internationals this year has been different. Scoring 263 runs from 183 deliveries in 14 T20 Internationals in 2025, his performance has been concerning. Although he has a strike rate of 143, which appears good, his boundaries and sixes are a concern, with only four sixes hit this year. Two of these were in the powerplay overs, which reveal that he has been struggling to provide his side with a good start. Gill also needed to make way for Sanju Samson, who had marked three international tons in the previous season. Some fans were puzzled with this decision, but their management chose to continue supporting him. Also Read | Arshdeep Singh Bowls Longest Ever Over by an Indian in T20Is Rise of Abhishek Sharma, Another Pressure Although Gill has been finding it difficult to score aggressively, his other opening partner Abhishek Sharma has been playing in extremely confident fashion. His strike rate of 188.5 reflects that of his confidence. His performance this year contains 773 runs from 397 deliveries in 18 innings. Abhishek has also deposited 48 sixes from 2025 balls, which means that he has been able to hit almost three sixes in every match, a huge variation from Gill. This adds to the pressure on Gill, as India require powerful starts in the early overs of their innings, particularly with the World Cup looming. Limited Time Left Before the T20 World Cup India now have only eight T20Is left before the start of the T20 World Cup on February 7. Gill has a small window of opportunity to show his head coach, Gautam Gambhir, that his long-term plan is headed in the right direction. There are still three remaining matches in the series in South Africa. The question now is what India would do if Gill does not do well in these remaining matches. With increasing competition and limited time, it is important for Gill to make a comeback with impressive performances.