Ricky Ponting Stunned By Shubman Gill's T20 World Cup Snub: "I Couldn't Believe"

India's ODI and Test captain, Shubman Gill, is struggling even to find a place in the nation's T20 team. As the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named the 15-member squad for next month's marquee event, Gill couldn't find a spot, as Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan made a return to the national setup in the shortest format. As the debate of Gill's place in India's T20 team continues, Australia great Ricky Ponting admitted that he was left scratching his head upon seeing Gill not making the cut.

"I couldn't believe that. I mean, I know his recent form hasn't been great in white-ball cricket. The last time that I really saw much of him play was the Test series against England in the UK, where he batted as well as I've ever seen anybody bat. I think, one, I'm surprised, but two, it just shows the depth of Indian cricket," Ponting said on ICC Review.

"If you can think that someone as good as Shubman Gill doesn't get picked in a World Cup squad, then it goes to show how many good players they do have," he added.

Gill was named India's vice-captain in the shortest format earlier this year. But a string of poor performances saw his complete elimination from the squad. The BCCI selectors seem to prefer format specialists like Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Ishan Kishan and others. Despite the extravagant talent that Gill possesses, he has been usurped in the selection race by players who seemingly are better suited to the shortest format.

Even Ponting stands witness to the incredible talent pool India has at its disposal.

"India's depth around the country, as we know, is outstanding, and every ICC event that comes up, you've got to put them right up near the top just because there are so many good players to choose from," said Ponting.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Shubman Gill Ricky Ponting T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket