Why Shubman Gill did not make India’s T20 World Cup squad

India’s national selection committee on Saturday left out vice-captain Shubman Gill from the 15-member squad announced for the upcoming home T20 World Cup, citing team combination as the primary reason behind the decision.

Chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar confirmed that Gill missed out due to the balance the team management was looking to achieve, adding that the decision was not linked to form. The selectors instead opted for additional flexibility in the wicketkeeping and batting department.

Axar Patel was named vice-captain of the squad, while Ishan Kishan returned to the national side as the second wicketkeeper behind Sanju Samson. Kishan edged out Jitesh Sharma for the spot.

🚨India’s squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 announced 🚨

Let’s cheer for the defending champions 💪#TeamIndia | #MenInBlue | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/7CpjGh60vk

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 20, 2025

Speaking at the squad announcement press conference in Mumbai on Saturday, Agarkar explained the thinking behind Gill’s omission.

“If your keeper is going to bat at the top, our thought was to have another keeper. Jitesh hasn’t done much wrong. We know how great Gill is. It’s just about combination,” Agarkar said.

Agarkar further said that players are sometimes forced to miss out on one format due to the team’s requirements in another.

“Some people are going to miss out on a particular format because they are playing in another. Let’s not make much of it. Over the last few years, Gill has been the No. 1 batter in the world. He knows what he has to do; he knows what’s needed, and hopefully by the time the World Cup comes by, he’ll be back to being No. 1,” he added.

India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav also addressed Gill’s exclusion, reiterating that it was driven purely by team combination.

“Post T20 World Cup (2024), when I went to Sri Lanka, when I was appointed captain, Gill played well. So, it’s not about form; it’s about combination. He’s a terrific player, and it’s just that we are in a situation where we need an extra player for our combination, and that is why he’s been excluded for now,” Suryakumar said.

The selectors’ call coincided with Ishan Kishan’s strong domestic form. The left-hander recently led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title. He scored 101 off 49 balls in the final, registering his fifth century of the tournament, which equalled India T20I opener Abhishek Sharma’s record for the most hundreds in the competition.

Kishan finished the tournament as the leading run-scorer, aggregating 517 runs in 10 innings at an average of 57.44 and a strike rate of over 197.

India’s squad for the T20 World Cup:

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan