On Saturday, chief selector Ajit Agarkar clarified that Shubman Gill’s exclusion from India’s T20 World Cup squad resulted from a mix of his recent form and the needs of the team composition.
Gill, who was appointed as India’s T20 vice-captain, faced a tough run in the home series against Sri Lanka, posting scores of 4, 0, and 28 before missing the fifth match due to an injury.
“We recognize his talent as a player, but he may be lacking a bit in terms of runs currently. It’s unfortunate that he missed out in the last World Cup too because we chose different combinations. Ultimately, it’s about the team balance. When assembling a squad of 15, someone has to be left out, and unfortunately, it’s Gill at this moment,” Agarkar explained during the squad announcement press conference on Saturday. Agarkar emphasized the need for an additional wicketkeeper at the top of the order, which necessitated sacrificing a pure batter. In this case, Ishan Kishan, who excelled in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, was chosen over Jitesh Sharma, who has been more commonly utilized as a lower-order quick-hitter.
“We are focused on the combination. If the keeper is batting at the top, Jitesh currently occupies that position, and he hasn’t done much wrong. But we need to prioritize the combination with a keeper at the top,” said the former India pacer.
Suryakumar also mentioned that he will maintain his position at No 4, with Tilak Varma batting just before him.
“Following the T20 WC (2024), we went to Sri Lanka and scored 200 runs, with Gill part of that success. We aimed to have a keeper at the top, and Rinku or Washy down the order, which is why we opted for an extra keeper at the top. There is no question regarding Gill’s form,” stated Suryakumar.
The 35-year-old acknowledged that playing in a home World Cup might present challenges, but it’s also an experience he relishes.
