Shubman Gill Reacts to T20 World Cup 2026 Snub, Backs India For NZ ODIs

Shubman Gill had accepted his exclusion from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad with grace and wished the team well.

Indian ODI captain Shubman Gill opened up on his exclusion from India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, stating that he fully respected the selectors’ decision. Speaking ahead of India’s first ODI against New Zealand on Sunday, Gill wished the team success in the marquee tournament despite missing out himself.

Gill has endured a lean patch in the shortest format in recent times, and the team management opted to leave him out of the T20 World Cup squad, citing team composition. In his absence, all-rounder Axar Patel was named vice-captain to T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav.

“I respect the selectors’ decision. All the best to the team for the T20 World Cup,” Gill told reporters.

“I am where I have to be and whatever is written in my destiny no one can take that from me. A player always believes he will try his best for the country and the selectors have taken their decision,” he added.

Shubman Gill, Kohli & Co. Step Into NZ ODIs

Meanwhile, the focus shifts to the ODI format, where Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s red-hot form is expected to power India’s campaign as the hosts take on a new-look New Zealand side in the first match of the three-ODI series on Sunday.

Even with the T20 World Cup less than a month away, Kohli and Rohit are set to remain in the spotlight over the next seven days. The two senior batters have not lacked match practice, having featured in a couple of Vijay Hazare Trophy league matches each and scoring heavily to underline their continued dominance.

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However, attention will also be on how Gill responds in ODIs after being left out of the T20 World Cup squad. Apart from his dip in T20 form, injuries had also ruled him out of a major part of the South Africa series late last year.

Gill’s return to the ODI XI is likely to push Yashasvi Jaiswal out of the top order, despite the youngster scoring his maiden ODI century in the final match against South Africa.