Despite his role as the assistant and batting coach for the Gujarat Titans, Parthiv Patel has publicly supported the BCCI's decision to omit Shubman Gill from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad.
Parthiv Patel supports Shubman Gill's T20 World Cup snub
While many expected Patel to show a natural bias toward his IPL captain, the former wicketkeeper maintained that the selection committee's choice was justifiable based on recent form. He noted that despite Gill’s status and leadership role in domestic cricket, international selection must ultimately be dictated by on-field results.
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The statistics back this assessment, as Gill struggled to find his rhythm following his return to the T20I lineup during the 2025 Asia Cup. After a year-long absence from the format, he was given a significant opportunity as Suryakumar Yadav’s deputy, featuring in 15 matches against high-caliber opponents like Australia and South Africa. However, his output remained underwhelming, with a batting average dipping below 25 and a strike rate under 140—numbers that failed to meet the aggressive standards required for the modern T20 game.
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India was hoping to find a solid player who could captain in all three formats: Parthiv Patel
Ultimately, the selectors opted for a change in direction after Gill’s extended run failed to produce the necessary impact. Sanju Samson was recalled to fill the opening slot for the New Zealand series and the subsequent World Cup, signaling a shift in the team's tactical approach. Patel emphasized that because Gill’s performance simply wasn't up to the mark during his trial period, his exclusion was a fair reflection of the current competitive landscape in Indian cricket.
“India was hoping to find a solid player who could captain in all three formats. He was given a fair chance. Maybe he did not contribute as per the expectations. There are still five games left in the New Zealand series, but the decision was taken in the South Africa series itself. The talent pool runs so deep that there will always be talk about who is not in the squad. Instead, I feel we should empower those who are there and put some positive energy behind them. It is a very strong squad, and India will definitely start as favourites,” he said on Jay Thadeshwar’s podcast.
India's T20 World Cup squad:
Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel (vc), Rinku Singh