Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting recently expressed his surprise at Shubman Gill’s omission from India’s T20 World Cup squad. He stated that while Gill's recent white-ball form has dipped, his absence proves the incredible depth of India's batting reserves. Despite being appointed vice-captain for Asia Cup 2025, Gill struggled to find his rhythm, failing to record a single half-century across 15 matches and finishing with a modest top score of 47.
Ultimately, the selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, decided to leave the Test and ODI captain out of the shortest format due to a combination of inconsistent scoring and a sub-par strike rate. This decision followed a significant shift in public sentiment; as Gill’s struggles continued in the vice-captaincy role, social media backlash intensified. Fans were particularly vocal regarding the exclusion of Sanju Samson, who remained on the bench despite a stellar 2024 campaign featuring three T20I centuries.
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One, I am surprised, two, it just shows the depth of Indian cricket: Ricky Ponting
There were high expectations for Gill to dominate the T20 format after his prolific performance in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, where he racked up 754 runs against England. However, his subsequent struggle to translate that success suggests that the selectors may have once again encountered the pitfalls of prioritizing multi-format consistency over specialized T20 performance.
“I could not believe that. I mean, I know his recent form has not been great in white-ball cricket. The last time that I really saw much of him play was the Test series against England in the UK, where he batted as well as I have ever seen anybody bat," Ponting said while speaking on the ICC Review.
“I think, one, I am surprised, but two, it just shows the depth of Indian cricket. If you can think that someone as good as Shubman Gill does not get picked in a World Cup squad, then it goes to show how many good players they do have," Ponting added.
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Reason behind Shubman Gill's World Cup omission
Gill’s output in the T20I format last year was relatively modest, as he managed to accumulate only 291 runs across 15 matches. His struggles were particularly evident during the recent series against South Africa, where he recorded disappointing scores of 4, 0, and 28 in his first three outings. These low returns placed his position under significant scrutiny as the series progressed toward its conclusion. The final stages of that series proved to be equally frustrating for the opening batter due to circumstances beyond his control. The fourth match in Lucknow was abandoned without a ball being bowled because of heavy fog and poor visibility. Subsequently, Gill was forced to sit out the fifth and final T20I in Ahmedabad after sustaining a painful toe injury during a training session, effectively ending his series on a somber note.