Shubman Gill’s T20I comeback date decided by BCCI - Reports
(Courtesy : BCCI)
Shubman Gill featured in the recently concluded IPL 2026.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India‘s squads for the T20I series against Ireland and England on Saturday. They also named a 16-member squad for the Asian Games in Japan.
The BCCI has appointed Shreyas Iyer as the new captain for India in the shortest format. Tilak Varma will be the vice captain in T20Is. Moreover, IPL-sensations Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Prince Yadav earned their maiden T20I call-ups; alongside the return of Harshit Rana in the mix.
One exclusion which caught the eye of many fans and experts was that of Shubman Gill. He is leading the Men in Blue in two formats, but has struggled to find a place in T20Is.
Why no Shubman Gill in the T20I squad?
After Gill’s phenomenal campaign in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, followed by his all-timer England 2025 series, and his exceptional numbers in ODI, many experts felt that he is the next all-format star for India. For the same reason, he was given the ODI captaincy in October 2025.
The right-hander was selected in the T20I team ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, and was also named the vice captain. However, what followed was a disastrous campaign for Gill. He got fifteen matches on the trot, where he played the Asia Cup, the series against Australia, and then South Africa. He was unable to live up to the standards and was dropped eventually.
When the squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 was announced in December, Gill was overlooked and has not found a spot since then.
When will Shubman return to T20Is?
The 26-year old batter had yet another remarkable season in the IPL 2026, both as a batsman and a captain. He was the second highest run-scorer in the tournament with 732 runs in 16 matches, at an impressive strike of over 160, his best so far. Moreover, he led Gujarat Titans (GT) to the final of the IPL 2026.
According to PTI reports, he is not in the scheme of things as of now, but he is expected to bounce back into contention before the start of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics or the T20 World Cup in Australia.
The primary focus is currently on the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle and the forthcoming ICC Cricket World Cup 2027. India’s T20I team is presently well settled.
However, conditions like Australia require a more traditional batsman who can play the pitch well. Gill could enter the selection conversation there.
Currently, he is playing the one-off test against Afghanistan, where he scored a sublime century becoming the second-fastest Indian captain (by innings) to reach 1000 Test runs in just 15 innings. India are set to play a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan after the Test.
Who is India’s T20I captain?
Shreyas Iyer has assumed India’s T20I captaincy
When did Shubman Gill last play a T20I?
Shubman was last seen playing a T20I on 14th December 2025 against South Africa.
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Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.