India’s T20 World Cup 2026 preparations have sparked debate after a report suggested that Shubman Gill was excluded from the Ahmedabad T20I without being formally informed. According to sources, the decision to leave Gill out was taken days before the squad announcement, yet neither head coach Gautam Gambhir nor captain Suryakumar Yadav reportedly communicated the move to the batter in advance.
The squad announcement confirmed Suryakumar Yadav as India’s T20I captain with Axar Patel named vice-captain, while Ishan Kishan returned as wicketkeeper alongside Sanju Samson. However, attention quickly shifted to Gill’s omission, which appears to have been finalised when the fourth T20I was abandoned due to smog. Reports claim that despite Gill’s willingness to play the Ahmedabad match and despite his injury not being considered serious, the team management had already decided to move on.
Gill’s recent form in the South Africa series was modest, with 32 runs across three matches, but the lack of direct communication has raised concerns about transparency in selection decisions. The episode has led to wider discussion around how players are informed of major calls, especially ahead of a global tournament like the T20 World Cup.