Shubman Gill Dropped! Was Excluding Him from the 2026 T20 World Cup Squad a Mistake?

 

The Breaking News 

It is , the decision that has split the Indian cricket fanbase right down the middle. As the BCCI announced the final 15-member squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup (starting February 7), one major name was missing: Shubman Gill.

Despite being the ODI and Test captain (and arguably the "Prince" of Indian cricket), Gill has been left out of the shortest format's marquee event. The selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, have instead placed their faith in aggressive openers like Abhishek Sharma and the returning Ishan Kishan, alongside Sanju Samson.

Today, Gill finally broke his silence on the exclusion ahead of the ODI series against New Zealand, saying, "I am where I am supposed to be. Whatever is written in my destiny, I will have it."

But the question remains: Did Team India make a bold masterstroke or a massive blunder?

Why Was He Dropped? The Numbers Don't Lie

While Gill is a class act in ODIs, his recent T20 form has been a major concern. The selectors cited "combinations" and "current form" as the primary reasons. Let’s look at the stats that likely cost him his spot:

• Recent Form (2025): In his last 15 T20Is, Gill scored 291 runs at an average of just 24.25.

• Strike Rate Issues: In a world where openers are striking at 200+ (thanks to the "Impact Player" era mindset), Gill’s strike rate hovered around 137, which is considered "anchoring" rather than "attacking."

• No Big Scores: He failed to score a single half-century in those last 15 appearances.

Contrast this with Abhishek Sharma or Ishan Kishan (who just led Jharkhand to a Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title with explosive hitting), and the selector's intent becomes clear: India wants pure aggression, not anchors.

The "Combinations" Dilemma

Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar explained that the decision was about balance.

"We wanted a keeper at the top of the order... someone has to miss out, and unfortunately, it is Gill at this point."

By picking Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson, India now has two wicket-keeper options who can open. This allows the team to play more all-rounders (like Axar Patel and Washington Sundar) lower down the order without worrying about the keeping slot.

The Squad at a Glance

• Captain: Suryakumar Yadav

• Vice-Captain: Axar Patel

• Key Ins: Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma

• Key Outs: Shubman Gill, Jitesh Sharma
  
  
  

  My Take: Is It a Mistake?

  Dropping a player of Gill's caliber is always risky. We saw in the 2024 World Cup (with Kohli and Rohit) that experience often counts for more than raw strike rate in high-pressure games.

  • The Risk: If India loses early wickets in a knockout game, will we miss Gill’s ability to stabilize an innings?

  • The Reward: If Abhishek Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal/Sanju Samson fire, India could score 220+ consistently, putting games out of reach.

  Gill’s mature response today shows his class, but it also puts massive pressure on the selected openers. If they fail, the "Where is Gill?" chants will start very quickly.

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  What Do You Think?

  This is the boldest call of the 2026 season so far. Do you agree with the selectors, or should the "Prince" have been in the squad?

  👇 Tell me in the comments below!