CHENNAI: From the moment BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia read out Axar Patel as vice-captain, murmurs began in the press conference room at the cricket body's headquarters in Mumbai. So much so that he was asked to repeat the entire squad once again just to make it clear. Shubman Gill, who was handed the vice-captaincy only three months ago, was dropped from the India squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
After 15 innings at the top as opener, where he managed 291 runs at an average of 24.25 and 137.26 strike rate, Gill was not only stripped of his title but also left out of the squad for the marquee event. He also missed the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. The decision was a shocker of course, mainly due to the timing of the announcement.
In the last few weeks or so, questions had been raised over Gill's place in the squad, especially because his return had disrupted an already settled opening stand in Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. Despite the question marks, it seemed like Gill, who is India captain in other two formats, would retain his place before Saturday afternoon's last-minute changes.
When asked if it was his lack of form that had led to this big call, both captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar reiterated that the decision was more about the combinations the team management wanted in order to defend the World Cup. "Shubman Gill is short of runs at the moment and missed the last WC too," Agarkar said at the press conference. "It's the combinations more than anything else. Two keepers at the top, that's the way we want to try and obviously the team management eventually will decide when they play what kind of combinations. It's more the combinations. Someone has to miss out when you pick 15 and unfortunately, it's Gill at this point," he added.
To elaborate a little further, having a keeper at the top allows head coach Gautam Gambhir and Yadav to play multiple all-rounders and finishers, and by default extending their already solid batting depth. It also gives them variety in the player pool to pick from. Whereas, with Gill at the top, they would have had to give up a middle-order spot for keeper, shortening their bowling options as well as batting depth.
So with Gill gone, Jitesh Sharma also had to make way and it allowed them to pick another top-order keeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who is making a comeback after a triumphant Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. And Rinku Singh, who was dropped for the South Africa series also returned to the squad. "We wanted to have a keeper at the top. We wanted to have someone like Rinku Singh or maybe a Washington Sundar later on to have a different combination. So, that's why we brought in that extra wicket-keeper at the top. And it's not about the form, it's about the quality. He's a terrific player. And there's no question about that. It's just that the situation is such that we need a keeper to back up the order to have 2-3 good combinations which can win us the World Cup," Yadav said.
"I think it's important to have a good start in a T20 format. That's what we feel. For example, there are three phases in this format. First power play, then you play 7-15 and then you go in the last five overs. So, we wanted to win the power play. When we sat, we analysed that what combination won us the power play most of the time. We went ahead with this combination," the captain added, inferring to Samson-Sharma duo in comparison with Gill-Sharma pair.
On paper, it is hard to argue against the selections they have made. They have allowed themselves multiple combinations with spin and pace-bowling all-rounders and have a dynamic batting line-up. While they have made a pragmatic call about not picking Gill and going with the original T20 squad, the question arises whether they could have done it sooner. "At the end of the day, you are looking to see what are the best combinations or different options that you can get as a squad to give you the best chance of doing well in the World Cup. And this is what we will eventually settle with. Whether it is decided today, yesterday, one week earlier, it doesn't really matter. Hopefully, we get it right come the World Cup," Agarkar explained.
Indeed. After all, it is the same chief selector that picked the squad for the last three ICC events where India lost just one match and won two titles. For now, the selectors have done their bit. Now, it is over to the captain and coach to make the best of it and help Indian defend the World Cup title.
