Indian T20 World Cup squad: Why Shubman Gill was dropped – at the last moment | Cricket News

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Shubman Gill is bowled by Marco Jansen of South Africa during the third international T20 cricket match of the series between India and South Africa at the HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Hours before the squad was announced for the T20 World Cup in Mumbai on Saturday, Indian vice-captain Shubman Gill was with the team in Ahmedabad. His participation in the game, as previously reported by TimesofIndia.com, was a touchdown and departure due to a toe injury. The management did not want to risk pushing him for the fifth T20I against South Africa. They also explored the option of an injection for the “small problem”, but the decision-makers, keeping in mind the New Zealand T20Is and the T20 World Cup, decided against it.Gill abstained, but few people would have read the nuances of this “prudent decision”.

Ajit Agarkar and Suryakumar Yadav’s press conference: On dropping Shubman Gill and other tough calls

“Shubman Gill could have played as the issue was minor and there was no fracture etc. but it was a prudent decision not to rush him for the match,” a team source said.A few days ago, when the team arrived in Lucknow for the fourth T20I, the think tank was tempted to try Sanju Samson. A toe injury in the nets gave them this opportunity. The match was abandoned due to fog, but in Ahmedabad there was another chance to try the keeper-batsman at the top of the order. A windy stand of 22 balls, 37 and 63 runs with Abhishek Sharma was enough to force not only Gill out of the playing XI but also the team.When Gill returned to the T20I setup during the Asia Cup in September, he opened with Abhishek and that forced Samson to bat lower down the order.

Shubman Gill, left, and Abhishek Sharma greet each other during the third T20 cricket match between India and South Africa in Dharamshala, India, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025. (AP Photo)

In the four innings he played, right-hander Samson batted only once at No. 3 and was largely given the middle-order spot. A role that he has not occupied in the past and which clearly did not seem comfortable to him. It is understood that the wicketkeeper-batsman had a word with the management in this regard and requested a leading role.This is the main reason why he was adjudged No. 3 in the T20I against Australia at the MCG and subsequently opened in every match he played for Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Two half-centuries and a few years later, he sent another reminder to the selectors.Gill, however, did not get the kind of support that captain Suryakumar Yadav enjoyed even after a long and poor spell with the bat, and he was omitted from the team list. A decision that few people saw coming and which surprised everyone.It is further learned that there was no dialogue with the Indian ODI and Test captain in Ahmedabad and he was informed about the non-selection moments before Saturday’s meeting.“Shubman Gill was questioned before the meeting. Obviously we can’t give details, but he explained the combination. It’s unfortunate for him, but at the end of the day you need the best combination for the World Cup,” a BCCI official said.Ajit Agarkar explained Gill’s call and why the selectors explored different options at the top of the order.“It depends more on what combination we want to play or what the team management is comfortable with,” Agarkar said.

BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, centre, Selection Committee Chairman Ajit Agarkar, right, and Suryakumar Yadav, captain of the Indian men's T20 cricket team, during a press conference to announce India's squad for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, at the BCCI headquarters, Mumbai. (PTI Photo)

“Their thoughts are… who is going to bat at the top? Abhishek, obviously, has done what he has done over the last year. And we felt that the goalkeeper at the top at this stage gives us a lot more solidity than anywhere else in the team to play different combinations. There are only 15 we could have chosen. Someone must be missing something. It’s him. It’s not because he’s not a good player. Again, Jitesh didn’t do much wrong. These are the combinations that the team management is looking for,” he added.Captain Suryakumar Yadav also spoke along similar lines and explained why it was necessary to have a wicketkeeper-batsman at the top of the order. Surya downplayed the form and lack of talk around Gill and said it was simply a combination call.“It’s not about his form or anything. It’s just about the combination at the moment. We wanted to have a keeper at the top. We wanted to have someone like Rinku Singh or maybe a Washington Sundar later, to have a different combination. That’s why we brought in that extra wicketkeeper at the top.“And he is a great player. And there is no doubt about that. The only thing is that the situation is such that we need a goalkeeper at the top of the order to have two-three good combinations that can win us the World Cup,” Surya said.By the time Gill was out of the team and Samson was returning to the top of the order, it was going to be difficult to accommodate Jitesh Sharma and the need for another top-class wicketkeeping option forced the selectors to turn to an in-form Ishan Kishan – a player who was not close to India’s recall a week back but a terrific Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign and late combined call-ups opened the door for the left-hander.The way this whole Gill non-selection has played out is comfortable for everyone. Captain Suryakumar does not have a high-profile vice-captain under his neck. Chief selector Agarkar awarded a national entertainer. And coach Gambhir will not be accused of favoring Gill.Indian squad for New Zealand T20Is and T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (week), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (week).