Indian batter Shubman Gill was snubbed from the 15-member squad announced for the men's T20I World Cup 2026 on Saturday. Gill’s exclusion comes on the back of a prolonged dip in form, particularly in the shortest format of the game. Gill, who has been a vital figure in the Indian setup, has struggled to make a consistent impact in T20 internationals in recent months.
In the recently concluded T20I series against South Africa, Gill’s difficulties were on full display, as he failed to score meaningful knocks. Commenting on Gill's omission, skipper Suryakumar Yadav maintained that it was all about getting the right combinations.
"The thing is, post the T20 WC (2024) we went to Sri Lanka when I was officially appointed captain, and we had scored 200 in the first game, and Gill played a good part in that. So, it’s not about his form or anything; it’s just about combinations," Yadav said at the press conference.
"We wanted to have a keeper at the top and someone like Rinku or Washington Sundar later on to have a different combination. That's why we wanted an extra wicketkeeper at the top. There is no question of form it's about quality. He (Gill) is a terrific player," he added.
Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan has returned to the side following a magnificent outing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he played a massive role in anchoring Jharkhand to the title win. Rinku Singh also makes his comeback after missing the South Africa series.