In a significant selection call, vice-captain Shubman Gill has been left out of India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The decision, announced on Saturday, December 20, 2025, sees wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson being preferred as an opener, marking the second consecutive T20 World Cup omission for the Test and ODI skipper since his T20I debut.
Ashwin Points to Strategic Shift Behind Gill's Omission
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has weighed in on the controversial move, suggesting the feedback to drop Gill likely originated from the Indian team management itself. Ashwin highlighted a deliberate change in India's batting approach during the powerplay overs as the core reason.
"Obviously, Shubman Gill had been given a lot of backing. The selectors showed a lot of faith because he was directly appointed vice-captain," Ashwin stated on his YouTube show 'Ash ki Baat'. "I believe the feedback should also have come from Indian team management because we have to remember that India changed their style of play inside the powerplay. Rohit (Sharma) had shown it in the last World Cup. And that’s the style they wanted to continue. And Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma personify that particular passage and pattern of play."
Gill's Form and Samson's Last-Minute Opportunity
The selection pivot comes amid a lean T20I patch for Gill. The Punjab batsman had not scored a half-century in his last 15 T20I innings. In 2025, he accumulated 291 runs at a strike rate of 137.26, with his highest score being 47 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup.
Gill's injury prior to the fourth T20I against South Africa opened the door for Sanju Samson, who seized the chance with a knock of 37 runs off 22 balls in India's 30-run win in Ahmedabad. However, Ashwin downplayed the impact of that single innings, viewing Samson's inclusion as an inevitable outcome of the team's new direction.
"Actually, this is irrelevant. I have said before that the combination and formula will change. And that’s what has happened," Ashwin explained. "Unfortunately, Shubman got injured and the way he got injured and Sanju came into the side, it was only a formality that this was going to happen."
Surprise Inclusions and a Message to Domestic Cricketers
The squad announcement also brought surprises in the form of Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan, named as a reserve wicket-keeper. Ashwin admitted surprise at Singh's selection but hailed Kishan's inclusion as a positive signal for domestic performers.
"I was surprised that Rinku Singh got the opportunity. And in comes Ishan Kishan. And this is big news for many players who play in the First Class circuit," Ashwin said. He emphasized that the selection committee is sending a "message loud and clear" that performances in tournaments like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy are being closely monitored, regardless of a player's stature.
"Whichever player you are, whether you are a big player or a small player or whether you are a new player, you perform in First Class cricket and we have our eyes on you," he added, calling Kishan's recall based on his domestic and past international pedigree (including a double hundred in ODIs) "great news for Indian cricket."
