Shubman Gill’s exclusion from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad was not a last-minute decision taken on the day the team was announced, according to a report by PTI. The report claims that the decision to leave Gill out was effectively made earlier, on the day the fourth T20 International was abandoned due to thick smog. The BCCI officially announced the T20 World Cup squad on Saturday through secretary Devajit Saikia. However, the PTI report stated that Gill’s fate had already been sealed on Wednesday, when the fourth T20I was called off. Despite this, the India batter was not informed about his omission until the squad announcement became public.
India T20 WC 2026 squad
Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (WK).
Gill Unaware
As per a BCCI source quoted in the report, Gill was neither told by the chairman of selectors nor informed by captain Suryakumar Yadav or head coach Gautam Gambhir until Saturday morning. This lack of communication has raised questions about how the decision was handled, especially given Gill’s stature in the team.
While the Indian captain, whose record over the past year has been underwhelming, was given an extended run, the report suggested that Gill could feel disappointed and disrespected by the manner in which he was dropped from the squad.
Concerns began to surface when news emerged that Gill had injured his toe while batting. According to the report, this incident signalled that the team management, led by Gambhir and Suryakumar, had already moved on from Gill’s place in the side.
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Gill Keen To Play Ahmedabad T20I
BCCI sources indicated that the decision to drop the vice-captain had been taken even though Gill was keen to play the Ahmedabad T20I. At that point, the injury was not considered serious enough to rule him out. Gill endured a disappointing series against South Africa, scoring just 32 runs across three matches. The report described this phase as the beginning of an exit route being created for the under-performing vice-captain.
Initially, the medical team suspected a possible hairline fracture in Gill’s toe. However, subsequent scans revealed that it was only a bruise, meaning Gill could have featured in the Ahmedabad match with the help of painkillers.
Interestingly, the report suggested that chief selector Ajit Agarkar did not appear entirely convinced by the decision during the squad announcement press conference. Agarkar has previously been a strong supporter of Gill, viewing him as a potential all-format leader for India.
Speaking at the press conference, Agarkar said,
“We know what a quality player he is, but, perhaps short of a little bit of runs at the moment.”
He further added,
“(He was) unfortunate to miss out on the last World Cup as well because, you know, we went to a different combination. But it’s the combinations more than anything else. Two keepers at the top, that’s the way we want to try. Someone has to miss out when you pick (squad of)15 and, unfortunately, it’s Gill at this point.”
The report has added another layer to the ongoing debate around Gill’s omission, with questions now being raised not only about selection criteria but also about communication within the Indian team setup.
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