Shubman Gill Reacts To T20 World Cup Snub For First Time Ahead Of New Zealand Series
India’s ODI skipper Shubman Gill has said that he respected the selectors’ decision to drop him from the T20 World Cup squad.
Published : January 10, 2026 at 4:24 PM IST
Hyderabad: India ODI captain Shubman Gill has broken the silence after being dropped from the 2026 T20 World Cup snub. Gill, who was named the vice-captain of the T20I squad since Gautam Gambhir took over as the head coach, was omitted from India’s squad for the marquee event in a move by selectors which shocked many.
Speaking ahead of the series against New Zealand, Gill said in the press conference that he respects the decision taken by the selectors.
“Firstly, it is my belief that in my life, I am where I am supposed to be. Whatever is written in my destiny, I will have it. As a player, I want to win games for my team, but having said that, I respect the selectors’ decision. I wish the T20 team the very best. I hope that they win the World Cup,” Shubman Gill said in the press conference.
Shubman’s arrival in the T20I team
The right-handed batter was included in the team ahead of the Asia Cup last year. The team management included him in the team, thinking that there would be a versatile anchor in the team. Gill replaced Sanju Samson, who had hit 3 T20I hundreds in the last 12 months in the team.
The move backfired as Gill struggled to score runs, and his average was only 24.25, and his strike rate was 137.26. Eventually, Gill was dropped from the team and the opening combination of Samson and Abhishek Sharma is likely to open the innings for the Indian side in the marquee tournament.
Focusing on the present
When asked about whether his exclusion had an impact on his psyche, Gill stated that he likes to focus on the present.
“I try to look at what I need to do now and what is important. The more we can be in the present moment, it makes our life more simpler, and if you make your life simpler, it's a much more peaceful and happier space that you would want to be in,” he added.
India squad for T20 World Cup 2026
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku SIngh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan.
