Indian T20 superstar Shubman Gill has been excluded from India’s T20I squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand and the 2026 World Cup, with Sanju Samson replacing him as a preferred opening batsman. Former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh feels the Punjab cricketer has been dropped from T20 team because of a mix of balance in the side and intense competition.
The great India spinner believes Gill’s battering style is still excellent and will enable him return to the side. The cricketer-turned-commentator also reminded everyone that the 26-year-old continues to captain the Indian side in Tests and One-Day Internationals, demonstrating that the selectors have a lot of faith in his potential and ability.
“It is not a signal for Gill. He was not taking his place for granted, but the competition is so tough that there are many players who can take that slot and perform well for the team. This is not the end of the road for him. He is a great player with beautiful technique. I believe he will make a brilliant comeback, and we should not forget that he is still the Test captain,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying by India Today.
On Shubman Gill missing out on T20 squad, Harbhajan said he wasn’t the least bit surprised not to see Fazilka-born’s name in the team. The experienced cricketer is of the opinion that right call was made keeping in mind situations lineup for the tournament happening worldwide.
“I was listening to Ajit Agarkar and Captain Suryakumar Yadav. They were saying that Gill was excluded because of the combination. They must have taken the call depending on the conditions and the combination.”
Harbhajan Singh
India squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Axar Patel (vice-captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh
