India's Test and One-Day International captain, Shubman Gill, has publicly addressed his surprising omission from the national squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. The 26-year-old batting star, who was appointed T20I vice-captain just last August, was left out of the 15-member team announced last month, with Axar Patel reinstated as deputy to skipper Suryakumar Yadav.
Respect for Selectors' Decision
Speaking to reporters ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand on January 10, 2026, Gill struck a philosophical tone. He stated that he respects the selectors' decision and wished the team the best for the global tournament. "I respect the selectors' decision. All the best to the team for the T20 World Cup," Gill said.
He added a note of personal resolve, remarking, "I am where I have to be, and whatever is written in my destiny, no one can take that from me. A player always believes he will try his best for the country, and the selectors have taken their decision."
Frustration of Injury and Captaincy Hiatus
Gill's comments come after a period of forced absence from the game. After taking over India's ODI captaincy in October, he has been sidelined since mid-November due to a neck injury sustained during the Test series in South Africa.
The young leader admitted it was challenging to watch from the sidelines. "Never easy, especially whenever you get injured, watching your team play, and you feel like you are missing out on all those games, especially when you have just been named the captain," he expressed.
He described the situation as "definitely very frustrating," but emphasized the need to focus on recovery and controllable factors during rehabilitation.
Captain's Push for Better Red-Ball Preparation
Looking ahead to his Test leadership duties, Gill revealed a key suggestion he has made to the team management. He advocated for more dedicated practice time in red-ball cricket, particularly when transitioning from limited-overs formats.
Gill pointed out the tight scheduling after recent tours. "If you would see in the last two Test series that we played, we didn't have that much time to prepare. It's not easy playing in India and playing another match in a different country on the fourth day," he explained, referencing the quick turnarounds.
He stressed that preparation is paramount for winning Test matches globally, a lesson he believes holds true regardless of recent results. "Even if we would have won the series against South Africa, it still wouldn't have made that much of a difference because we know we need to prepare well," Gill asserted.
He cited the transitions after the Australia tour and the Asia Cup as examples where more preparation time would be beneficial. The captain indicated that his suggestions are being considered for future planning.
