India head coach Gautam Gambhir chose not to respond to questions surrounding Shubman Gill’s exclusion from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad after the team was announced on Saturday, December 20. Gill’s absence came as a major surprise, especially with India preparing to defend their title on home soil. Gambhir returned to New Delhi on Saturday following the conclusion of the India vs South Africa T20I series, which the hosts won 3–1 after sealing the final match in Ahmedabad on Friday. Upon his arrival at the airport, the India coach was approached by reporters seeking clarity on Gill’s omission from the World Cup squad.
Gambhir was not present in Mumbai during the official squad announcement, which was attended by chief selector Ajit Agarkar and India captain Suryakumar Yadav. One of the biggest talking points from the announcement was Gill being removed not only from the squad but also from the role of vice-captain. His place was handed to Ishan Kishan, who earned a recall to the national side after a gap of two years.
As Gambhir stepped out of the airport, journalists attempted to get his reaction to the BCCI’s decision. When questioned specifically about Gill’s exclusion, the former India opener remained silent and walked away as security personnel intervened to clear the crowd. The moment was captured on video.
Why was Shubman Gill left out of the T20 World Cup squad?
The rationale behind Gill’s omission was later explained by Ajit Agarkar and Suryakumar Yadav during the press conference held in Mumbai. The BCCI chief selector made it clear that the decision was based on team balance rather than any doubts about Gill’s ability.
“There’s no doubt about Shubman’s quality. He may not have scored as many runs recently, but that doesn’t change how highly we rate him. He was also unlucky to miss out in the last World Cup when we opted for a different combination,” Agarkar said.
India captain Suryakumar Yadav echoed the same view, stressing that the decision had nothing to do with Gill’s recent form.
“It’s not about his form. It’s just about the combination. We wanted to have a keeper at the top. It’s not about his form. There’s no chatter about his quality. He is a terrific player,” Suryakumar said.
Gill endured a relatively modest run in T20Is this year, managing 291 runs from 15 matches at an average of 24.25, with a strike rate slightly above 137. According to a recent report, the call to leave Gill out of the World Cup squad was taken even before the Ahmedabad T20I.
