Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has backed Shubman Gill to make a strong comeback as India gear up for the five-match T20I series against South Africa beginning on 9 December. Pathan believes the opener must now lock down his place at the top of the order in the shortest format, especially with the build-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 gaining pace. India head into the T20Is after a convincing 2-1 victory in the ODI leg, and the focus now shifts to fine-tuning combinations for next year’s global event in India and Sri Lanka. Gill returns to the squad after missing the second Test and the entire ODI series against South Africa because of neck spasms sustained during the first Test in Kolkata. The 26-year-old spent a short period in hospital as a precaution before

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