Why BCCI backed Suryakumar Yadav and let Shubman Gill go ahead of T20 World Cup

When India’s selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar, finalised the squad for next year’s T20 World Cup, one decision stood out- Shubman Gill was left out, while captain Suryakumar Yadav retained his place despite an extended run of poor form. On the surface, the call appeared puzzling-if not contradictory-given that both batters have struggled for runs over the past year.

Gill, 26, has managed a highest score of 47 in 15 T20Is since returning to the setup earlier this season. Suryakumar, now 35, has fared no better statistically. His top score in 2025 is also 47*, spread across 19 innings that include nine single-digit scores and only two knocks beyond 25. Purely on numbers, the captain’s case looks weaker than that of his former deputy. Yet, the selection panel’s thinking went far beyond recent batting returns.

The biggest factor working in Suryakumar’s favour is leadership. Since taking over the T20I captaincy from Rohit Sharma last July, India have been virtually unbeatable. Under his watch, the team has swept series across conditions and continents—Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, South Africa, England, Australia—and capped it off with a flawless Asia Cup campaign. Results, in short, have insulated the captain from the axe.

There is also a qualitative difference in how the two batters have struggled. Gill has often appeared tentative and unable to stamp his authority at the crease. Suryakumar, by contrast, has looked fluent when he has got going, only to throw his starts away through lapses in judgment or execution. While that offers little comfort in terms of runs, it suggests that his issues are not rooted in a fundamental technical decline.

Once the undisputed No. 1 T20I batter in the world, Suryakumar has slipped to No. 10 in the rankings—a sharp fall, but one that also reflects the extraordinary heights he once scaled. Even now, his ranking underlines the impact of his earlier dominance.

For the first time, Suryakumar openly acknowledged his poor form at the press conference announcing India’s World Cup squad in Mumbai. Earlier in the year, he had downplayed concerns, famously describing himself as “not out of form, but out of runs.” That explanation grew harder to defend as the lean patch stretched across series in South Africa, England, the Asia Cup, Australia and, most recently, another South Africa assignment.

Despite the bleak run, selectors see no recurring technical flaw or consistent mode of dismissal. That ambiguity cuts both ways: it makes targeted correction difficult, but it also suggests there is no single, irreparable weakness holding him back.

Also Read: Suryakumar Yadav breaks silence on his poor T20I form

Crucially, the dressing room continues to function smoothly under Suryakumar’s leadership. Dropping the captain of a side that keeps winning—especially one who commands the respect of teammates and opponents alike—would risk unsettling a settled unit on the eve of a major tournament.

The consensus among former players and analysts is clear- Suryakumar is not far from rediscovering his old self. One substantial innings could be enough to reignite the confidence and clarity that once made him the most feared T20 batter in the world.