In a decisive move ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, the Indian cricket selectors have omitted star batter and Test captain Shubman Gill from the squad. The announcement, made on December 20, signals a clear shift in strategy as the team prepares to defend its title on home soil next year.
The Numbers Behind the Decision
The exclusion of the 26-year-old Gill comes after a prolonged period of underwhelming performances in the shortest format. In his last 15 T20 matches, Gill managed only 291 runs at an average of 24.25. These figures, deemed insufficient in the high-octane T20 arena, ultimately led to his axing. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar did not mince words when explaining the decision in Mumbai, stating plainly, "Shubman Gill is short of runs at the moment."
Captain Stays, Vice-Captain Named
In a contrasting decision, the selection committee has kept faith with Suryakumar Yadav as the team's captain, despite his own battle with form. The T20 specialist has scored just 244 runs in his last 22 innings without registering a single half-century. Agarkar publicly backed the skipper, asserting, "We have full faith in our captain to deliver during the World Cup." Suryakumar acknowledged his "rough patch" but expressed confidence in a turnaround.
All-rounder Axar Patel has been appointed as the vice-captain for the tournament. Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan also earned a recall to the national setup, thanks to impressive performances in domestic cricket.
Experts Weigh In: Not the End of the Road
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh provided context to Gill's omission, urging fans not to view it as a demotion. "No, it's not a signal to Gill... the competition is so much and they've got too many players at the present scenario who can fill the slot," Harbhajan explained. He emphasized that Gill's journey with India is far from over, praising his technique and predicting a strong comeback. He also reminded everyone that Gill remains the captain of the Indian Test team.
Harbhajan supported the selectors' focus on team combination over individual reputations, a sentiment echoed in Agarkar's explanation.
The selected squad will begin its final preparations with a five-match T20 International series at home against New Zealand, starting January 21. The T20 World Cup 2026 will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka and will feature 20 competing teams.
India's T20 World Cup 2026 Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan.
