Shubman Gill has been dropped from Team India’s T20 squad for the 2026 World Cup. Ishan Kishan is back in the team as a backup wicket-keeper while Jitesh Sharma has also been dropped. Gill’s exclusion has stunned Indian cricket fans.
As BCCI selectors gathered to select Team India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup, many Indian cricket fans demanded that Hardik Pandya should be brought back as the vice-captain. That did not happen, but Axar Patel is back as India’s vice captain.
“Obviously, he (Gill) has been short of runs. And, since he wasn’t picked, we needed a vice-captain,” Agarkar said at the press conference while justifying Axar’s selection as Surya’s deputy.
Shubman Gill’s T20I performance
During the Asia Cup phase in September 2025, Shubhman Gill’s form fluctuated. He hit an unbeaten 20 against the UAE, then managed 10 against Pakistan and 5 against Oman.
He returned strongly with 47 in the next match against Pakistan and 29 against Bangladesh. He ended the UAE leg with 4 versus Sri Lanka and 12 against Pakistan in the final.
Shubman Gill struck an unbeaten 37 in Canberra, scored 5 in Melbourne and 15 in Hobart. He then produced a fine 46 in Carrara. He finished with an unbeaten 29 in Brisbane.
Shubman Gill has gone 18 innings without scoring a 50 since his last half-century in the format on 13 Jul 2024.
After the 2024 World Cup, Gill has played 15 matches and scored 291 runs at an unimpressive average of 24.25. His strike rate (137.26) is decent.
Even so, the Team India management showed confidence in him. Now that he has been dropped, many fans believe that Gautam Gambhir has dropped his “favourite” to give preference to Team India.
India T20I World Cup Squad
Surya Kumar Yadav (C), Jasprit Bumrah, Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (Vc), Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan (WK).
