Shubman Gill's T20 World Cup 2026 Snub Causing Disarray In Team India? Report's Big Claim
The decision taken by the BCCI selectors to drop star batter Shubman Gill from the squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 left a lot of fans as well as experts stunned.
The decision by the BCCI selectors to drop star batter Shubman Gill from the squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup has left many fans and experts stunned. Gill, currently India's Test and ODI captain, was also the T20I vice-captain. However, with his recent struggles in the shortest format, he has been left out of the World Cup squad. According to a PTI report, the move has sparked uncertainty among players regarding their place in the side under Gautam Gambhir's coaching. The report claimed that the decision to drop Gill from the squad "had Gambhir's footprints written all over it."
It further stated that the decision has created unease among several players, who now believe that "if Indian cricket's next poster boy could be dumped by the wayside, the next omission could have anyone's name written on it."
Gautam Gambhir's record as India's white-ball coach has been impressive, with an ICC and ACC trophy in each of the two formats. However, with 10 Test defeats against SENA countries, the same cannot be said for his performance in Test cricket.
According to PTI, right after India's abject surrender against South Africa in the two-Test series at home last month, someone influential in the cricket board informally approached VVS Laxman to check if he would be interested in coaching the red-ball team.
However, it is understood that the legendary batter is happy serving as the 'Head of Cricket' at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru.
While Gambhir's contract with the BCCI runs until the end of the 2027 ODI World Cup, there is every possibility that it could be revisited depending on India's performance in the T20 World Cup, which begins in five weeks.
It is understood that in BCCI corridors, the jury is still out on whether Gambhir is the right person to remain at the helm of the red-ball team for the remaining nine Tests of the World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.
Having drawn 2-2 in a five-Test away series in England, India have a couple of overseas assignments comprising two Tests each against Sri Lanka in August 2026 and a tour of New Zealand in October, before hosting Australia for a five-Test series in January-February 2027.
"Gambhir does have strong backing within the power corridors of Indian cricket and, obviously, if India retain the T20 World Cup or at least reach the final, he would seamlessly continue with his assignment.
However, it would be interesting to see if Gambhir continues in Tests too," a BCCI source told PTI on condition of anonymity.
"His advantage is that there aren't too many alternate options in the red-ball format since VVS Laxman isn't interested in coaching the senior Test team," the source added.
(With PTI inputs)
India Cricket Team