T20 World Cup: Former star questions Gill omission, compares BCCI call to classic Gavaskar-Srikkanth debate

The exclusion of Shubman Gill from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad has sparked widespread debate, with former India batter and ex–women’s team head coach WV Raman emerging as one of the strongest voices questioning the selectors’ rationale. The BCCI’s decision to leave out the opening batter and T20 vice-captain while announcing the 15-member squad has drawn sharp reactions across the cricketing fraternity.

Raman expressed surprise at the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee’s move, stressing that Gill had not done anything wrong to warrant being dropped. According to him, the call was driven purely by the team’s preference for more aggressive batting options suited to the demands of modern T20 cricket.

Drawing a historical parallel, Raman likened the decision to opting for Krishnamachari Srikkanth over Sunil Gavaskar in a T20 setup—despite Gavaskar being the superior batter overall. He suggested that while Gill’s class is unquestionable, players with a more explosive style have been prioritised for the shortest format. Raman also questioned the timing of naming Gill as vice-captain in T20s if the management was unsure about his long-term role in the format.

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Addressing Gill’s recent technical adjustments, including adopting a straighter bat during the England Test series, Raman dismissed the notion that this change limited his T20 effectiveness. He pointed out that players like Rohit Sharma also bat with a straight bat without compromising their ability to score quickly, adding that batting impact in T20s is more about a player’s natural instincts than technique alone.

With the selectors opting for specialist T20 batters such as Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan, Gill and wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma found themselves out of the squad. Despite the setback, Raman advised Gill to remain mentally strong and not read too much into the omission.

He emphasised that selection decisions are often based on team balance rather than individual merit and insisted that Gill’s absence from the T20 setup should not be seen as a reflection of his ability or stature as a batter.