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There are only a few stars who have not been named in the T20I squads for the upcoming series that Team India is going to take part in in the near future. Shubman Gill is among the few who could not retain his spot in the T20Is, despite a well-crafted Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) season.
Why did the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) not name Shubman Gill in any of the T20I squads? The upcoming 2027 ICC ODI World Cup is considered one of the main reasons behind the decision.
Shubman Gill did well with the bat in IPL 2026
In the lead-up to the next ODI World Cup, Gill has been scoring runs at a constant pace. After enduring a lucrative IPL 2026 season, the batter has registered a century on Day 1 of the one-off Test against Afghanistan as well.
Gill is currently the captain of the Test and ODI set-ups of India. Ahead of the 2026 T20I World Cup, he was the vice-captain for the shortest format, which was subsequently revoked. The IPL 2026 was considered the ideal stage for Shubman Gill to prove his batting instincts in the Twenty20 format, as his strike rate was under the scanner.
The skipper of the Gujarat Titans (GT) did well with the bat, scoring 732 runs in 16 matches and as many innings for an average of 45.75 and an elevated strike rate of 163.02 to take the team into the final. While Shubman Gill’s average IPL strike rate is 142.08, he batted with a strike rate slightly over 163, which was evidence of his improved performance in the format.
Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel ignores Gill for the T20Is
Despite proving his credentials as a batter and as captain at the same time, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel did not pick him for any of the T20I squads they announced on Saturday.
BCCI announced the T20I squads for their bilateral series against Ireland, England, and for the Asian Games 2026. Shreyas Iyer has replaced T2I World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav as the new skipper and Tilak Varma as his deputy.
As reported, the national cricket team management is working to balance across the formats. They must build a solid core, a well-set team ahead of the ODI World Cup. To keep the focus, impact, and balance intact, they limited Shubman Gill to Tests and ODIs only.
Why is he not in the T20I teams?
According to the latest reports, the selection committee has asked Shubman to prioritize red-ball cricket and the One Day Internationals through the 2027 ODI World Cup cycle to manage the Workload and avoid any further trouble in the lead-up to the flagship tournament.
“The selectors are concerned that there shouldn’t be a burn-out case with Gill. Gill has to lead India in nine WTC Tests and also play around 35 odd ODIs before the start of the 2027 World Cup. The communication is clear that he needs to be fit for these two ICC assignments. Plus, he will play the IPL where he leads the Gujarat Titans,” a source close to the team selection process told PTI.
Read More: Shubman Gill breaks major WTC record for India with stunning hundred vs Afghanistan
