Shubman Gill might have been in phenomenal form in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season for the Gujarat Titans, where he led the team to the final and also scored 732 runs, but he isn’t likely to be picked for the national team in the shortest format in the foreseeable future. According to news agency PTI, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is worried about a ‘burn-out’ regarding the Indian Test and ODI captain, and the communication has been made to him that he needs to prioritise ODIs and Tests for now.
On Saturday, the selection committee announced the squads for the Ireland and England T20Is, as well as for the Asian Games. Gill wasn’t named in any of the teams, and he has been out of the T20I playing XI since January this year.
Gill made his comeback to the T20I lineup last year with the Asia Cup, but a poor run with the bat saw him being dropped right before the T20 World Cup. The right-handed batter, 26, then turned things around for himself in the IPL, smashing more than 700 runs, finishing as the second-highest run-scorer.
However, since the selectors are concerned about Gill’s workload, he is expected to be on the sidelines in T20Is.
“The selectors are concerned that there shouldn’t be a burn-out case with Gill,” news agency PTI quoted a BCCI source as saying.
“The communication is clear that he needs to be fit for these two ICC assignments. Plus, he will play the IPL where he leads the Gujarat Titans,” the source added.
Speaking of Gill, he suffered neck spasms last year after being on the road for months, and this resulted in him missing the second Test and all the ODIs against South Africa. Last year after the IPL, Gill played five Tests against England, the Asia Cup, two Tests against the West Indies, ODIs and T20Is against Australia. He then suffered an injury in the opening Test against the Proteas in Kolkata.
‘Still a lot of time’
India’s calendar is packed until the 2027 ODI World Cup, with the Men in Blue slated to play 35 ODIs before the tournament. Moreover, India also has to take on New Zealand and Australia in Tests, and Gill’s role is more important in these two formats.
The big T20 assignments are scheduled for 2028 with the Los Angeles Olympics and the T20 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Gill might be back in T20Is closer to these competitions, but for now, he has been asked to focus on the other two formats.
“There is still a lot of time left for the two marquee T20 events in 2028. For Gill, the focus is on the immediate future. Two years from now, no one knows which player will be in what form or fitness. So this is the play till the 2027 ODI World Cup,” the source further added.