Gautam Gambhir Behind Shubman Gill's T20 World Cup 2026 Snub? Ex-BCCI Selector's Bold Claim
Shubman Gill was surprisingly left out of India's T20 World Cup 2026 squad, following poor form.
- Shubman Gill was surprisingly omitted from India's T20 World Cup 2026 squad
- According to PTI, a former national selector claimed that Gautam Gambhir had a big role in the decision
- "The decision has more footprints of the head coach, who's not known for maintaining continuity," he said
Shubman Gill's last-minute exclusion came as the biggest shock during India's squad announcement for the T20 World Cup 2026. The 26-year-old has fared poorly ever since his return to the shortest format, and ultimately saw his vice-captaincy taken away and himself being dropped for the major tournament. The move suggests a course correction from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), reinstating Sanju Samson as the opener after dropping him to accommodate Gill. However, there are claims that head coach Gautam Gambhir may have had a big part to play in the sudden shift.
According to a report by PTI, a former national selector has claimed that Gautam Gambhir had a major role in Gill being dropped for the T20 World Cup 2026 squad.
"If making him (Gill) vice-captain for Asia Cup riding on his England Test heroics was a wrong move as Sanju (Samson) had done nothing wrong, the move to drop him just five games before the start of the T20 World Cup indicates that it is more of a course correction done by Agarkar's panel," said the former selector, as per PTI.
"The decision has more footprints of the head coach, who's actually not known for maintaining continuity," the former selector further said.
Gill had been out of India's T20I setup for nearly a year ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, during which Sanju Samson had impressed as an opener, even slamming two centuries in the shortest format.
However, Gill's reintroduction and subsequent promotion to vice-captaincy saw Samson having to sacrifice his opening slot, and eventually his spot in the playing XI.
Gill, however, failed to score even a single half-century across his 15 T20Is, from the start of the Asia Cup to the conclusion of the South Africa series.
After Samson once again displayed his ability to play quickfire knocks at the top with a 22-ball 37 in India's fifth T20I against South Africa, the BCCI took the bold call of leaving Gill out for the T20 World Cup and persisting with Samson.
Incidentally, Jitesh Sharma - who replaced Samson as India's primary wicket-keeper recently - was also left out of the final 15-member squad. In his place, the in-form Ishan Kishan was chosen, given his ability to bat in the top-order.
Gautam Gambhir