Why was Shubman Gill not picked in T20I squad for UK tour and Asian Games 2026? Know the BIG reason
(Courtesy : BCCI)
Shubman Gill is not part of India’s T20I squad for Ireland & England tours and Asian Games 2026.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India’s squad for the T20I series against Ireland and England on Saturday, June 6. The T20I squad for the Asian Games 2026 was also announced.
Shubman Gill, who is the Test and ODI captain, was not part of the any of squads, which raised a bit of eyebrows. Many players who performed well in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 have been given opportunities in the UK tour and the Asian Games. Gill, who led Gujarat Titans (GT), was a stand-out batsman in the league.
With 732 runs in 16 games at a strike rate of 163, he finished as the second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2026. He also hammered a century and six half-centuries, playing a crucial role in GT’s journey to the final. Despite Gill’s fabulous batting show, he was overlooked for India’s T20I squads.
Selectors want Shubman Gill to focus on ODIs and tests
As per a PTI report, selectors want Shubman Gill to focus on tests and ODIs at the moment. They need him to be fit for the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 and ICC ODI World Cup 2027. They are concerned about Gill’s workload.
“The selectors are concerned that there shoudn’t be a burn-out case with Gill. He has to lead India in nine WTC Tests and also play around 35 odd ODIs before the start of 2027 World Cup. The communication is clear that he needs to be fit for these two ICC assignments,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by the PTI.
“Plus he will play the IPL where he leads Gujarat Titans. There is still a lot of time left for the two marquee T20 events in 2028. For Gill, the focus is on immediate future. Two years from now, no one knows which player will be in what kind of form and fitness. So this is the plan till 2027 ODI World Cup,” the source added.
Notably, Gill was picked for the T20Is ahead of the Asia Cup last year and was named as vice-captain. However, due to his dismal form, he lost his place in the side. He was also overlooked for ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Why is Shubman Gill not part of India’s T20I series against Ireland and England?
Selectors want Shubman Gill to focus on Tests and ODIs at the moment.
Who is the new T20I captain of India?
Shreyas Iyer is the new T20I captain of India.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.