BCCI's Gill mess exposed: Pre-IPL plan devised with assurance, but role confusion led to shock T20 World Cup snub
In the last four months, Shubman Gill scored just 291 runs in 15 T20I matches and innings at a strike rate of above 137, with no fifties and a best score of 47.
On Saturday, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia’s announcement of India’s T20 World Cup squad turned heads as Shubman Gill, touted as the next all-format leader, was shockingly omitted from the 15-member list. Sanju Samson was reinstated as the opener, while fellow wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, fresh off a century in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final last week, was named the back-up.
The decision instantly shifted focus away from the rest of the squad, and even largely from captain Suryakumar Yadav, who, like Gill, has struggled with form in T20Is. Much of the press conference centred on the omission, especially with the BCCI having dropped strong hints over the last few months that the 25-year-old was being groomed to take over leadership duties in the shortest format, having already been handed the reins in ODIs and Tests.
According to a report in The Times of India, confusion over Gill’s role in the batting lineup emerged as the primary reason behind his struggles and eventually led to his exclusion from the T20 World Cup squad.
Gill has otherwise been one of the most consistent performers in T20 cricket. He has scored 400-plus runs in each of the last six IPL seasons, with a strike rate above 135 in the previous three. His standout year came in 2023, when he amassed 890 runs, the second-highest tally in a single IPL season, to win the Orange Cap. In IPL 2025, he scored 650 runs at a strike rate of 155.88, including six fifties, while leading the Gujarat Titans.
The report revealed that Gill had been identified by the BCCI and selectors as a future all-format leader right before the last IPL season. Samson was reportedly made aware of the plan, which explained why he was often seen batting lower than his preferred position for the Rajasthan Royals. Gill was also assured a place in the playing XI, a rare guarantee under the Agarkar-Gambhir regime, despite not being part of the 2024 T20 World Cup squad.
The idea behind Gill’s inclusion was to have a stabilising presence at the top, replicating the role Virat Kohli played during the previous T20 World Cup, anchoring the innings while allowing others to attack freely.
However, a source close to the team management told TOI that Gill eventually fell out of favour after failing to strike the right balance between power-hitting and stability.
“Gill was stuck in a place where he probably felt the pressure to go big at the top. The whole idea behind the revamped T20I setup was to keep the opposition under constant pressure with a high run-rate. Gill got caught in between. He couldn’t quite balance power with stability,” the source said.
In 15 innings since his return, Gill scored just 291 runs without registering a single fifty. With both Gill and captain Suryakumar Yadav struggling, the pressure mounted on the rest of the batting unit and the bowlers to carry the side.
“With both Suryakumar and Gill woefully out of form, the other batters couldn’t play with freedom and the strike rate suffered,” the source added.