KEY POINTS
- Selectors cited Gill’s lack of recent runs and a shift to using two wicketkeeper-openers as key reasons for his omission.
- Ishan Kishan’s phenomenal domestic form made him an irresistible pick.
- Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained the move prioritizes team balance.
NEW DELHI: The selection committee of BCCI on Saturday omitted premier batter Shubman Gill from India’s 15-member squad for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The decision, which marks a significant shift in strategy, underscores a prioritization of current explosive form and specific team balance as India prepares to attempt an unprecedented title defence.
Agarkar Cites Form and “Different Combinations”
Announcing the squad alongside the team for the preceding T20I series against New Zealand, chief selector Ajit Agarkar directly addressed the exclusion of the team’s former vice-captain.
“Shubman, we know what a quality player he is. Perhaps short of a bit of runs at the moment,” Agarkar stated.
He further linked the decision to a recurring tactical theme, noting, “He missed out on the last World Cup as well because of different combinations, more than anything else.”
The Wicketkeeper-Opener Gambit
The core of this new combination is a radical top-order plan involving two wicketkeeper-batters as openers.
Sanju Samson is set to take one spot, backed up by the red-hot Ishan Kishan, whose sensational domestic T20 form made him impossible to ignore.
Shubman Gill misses out on selection for the T20 World Cup, as Ishan Kishan returns to the national team.
Axar Patel will serve as Suryakumar Yadav's deputy.#T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/ezrI21nhdT
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 20, 2025
“We’re looking at combinations at the moment,” Agarkar explained. “If your keeper is going to bat at the top, our thought was to have another keeper just in case there’s any problem. Two keepers at the top, that’s the way we want to try it. Someone has to miss out when it’s 15, and unfortunately, it’s Gill this time.”
Gill’s Slump vs. Kishan’s Surge
The statistics reveal a stark contrast in fortunes. Gill has endured a lean 2025 in T20Is, failing to cross fifty in 15 innings while striking at 137.26, a figure that dipped below his career standard. A recent toe injury also clouded his readiness.
In stark opposition, Ishan Kishan mounted an irrefutable case in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
He amassed 514 runs at a breath-taking average of 57.44 and a strike rate of 197.32, culminating in a title-winning century in the final. This explosive run-scoring presented the selectors with a compelling, in-form alternative.
New Era Takes Shape Under SKY
The squad confirms the team’s transition from its 2024 championship-winning core, following the T20I retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja.
Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead, with Axar Patel as his deputy. The upcoming New Zealand series will serve as a crucial testing ground, particularly for the new opening pair, with all-rounder Abhishek Sharma likely to be in the mix.
While Gill’s absence dominates headlines, the selectors have unequivocally placed their faith in a blend of dynamic power and tactical flexibility, betting on this new formula to carve a unique piece of cricket history in 2026.
India Squad for Men’s T20 World Cup & T20I series vs New Zealand
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, and Harshit Rana
