The Indian team for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 was announced in Mumbai on December 20 (Saturday). The selectors made some surprising calls. Shubman Gill not only lost his vice-captaincy in the T20 team but was also not included in the 15-member squad chosen for the T20 World Cup. Shubman had made a comeback into India's T20 team through the Asia Cup 2025 and was entrusted with vice-captaincy responsibilities. However, his continued poor form took a heavy toll.
In clarifying the decision to drop Shubman Gill, Selection Committee Chairman Ajit Agarkar praised Shubman's skills, describing him as a good player but emphasized that team combination is more critical. Agarkar stated that to maintain the right team combination, some players inevitably have to sit out.
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Ajit Agarkar said, 'Shubman was the vice-captain, but he's not in the team now. When Gill was not playing T20s initially and was active in Test cricket, multiple T20 matches clashed with Tests, prompting the appointment of Axar Patel as the vice-captain. While consistency is discussed, ultimately, we're focusing on the team combination. If your wicketkeeper is going to bat at the top, ideally, you need one that can open the innings. Currently, Jitesh was fulfilling that role. Shubman is a terrific player, and it is unfortunate he's been left out. Rinku Singh has been included, offering a stronger lower-middle-order presence.'
Selection Complexities: Agarkar's View
Ajit Agarkar further explained that there is no shortage of options in Indian cricket. Agarkar mentioned, 'Opinions may vary, making player selection challenging. We still believe that Shubman is an outstanding player. Form fluctuates, but team composition is paramount. Some must sit out, which doesn’t reflect their individual abilities.'
In recent times, Shubman Gill has struggled with injuries as well. Last month, he suffered a neck sprain during a Test series against South Africa, necessitating hospitalization, which ruled him out of the ensuing ODI series. He returned for the T20 series but could only score 4, 0, and 28 runs. Before the Lucknow T20, Shubman suffered another injury, preventing him from playing in the decisive match held in Ahmedabad. Captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed that the injury was minor (niggle). Regardless, it seems that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had already made a significant decision about his future before the team selection.
India's T20 World Cup Team:
Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Axar Patel (Vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper).
