Legendary Sunil Gavaskar has an advice for Shubman Gill after latter's omission from India's T20 World Cup 2026 squad while the two were traveling back from Ahmedabad. Sharing the same flight, Gavaskar took the opportunity to comfort Gill following his T20 World Cup snub. The batting great suggested that Gill's recent string of freakish injuries and dip in form might be due to an 'evil eye', jokingly advising the youngster to have a family elder perform a traditional 'nazar utaar' ritual to ward off bad luck.
Sunil Gavaskar's advice for Shubman Gill
Beyond this personal exchange, Gavaskar has been one of the most vocal defenders of the 26-year-old on the global stage. While many fans and some experts have criticised Gill’s recent T20 strike rate, Gavaskar expressed genuine shock at the ugly snub by the selection committee. Speaking on air during the squad discussion, the Indian icon admitted he was taken aback by the decision, emphasizing that a player of Gill's technical caliber should not be discarded so easily.
While the selection committee’s choices have drawn praise from those favoring more aggressive T20 specialists, Gavaskar remains steadfast in his belief that "class is permanent. He argued that Gill’s recent struggle was merely a temporary loss of rhythm following a long layoff and that his proven track record in the IPL demonstrates his capability in the shortest format. In this defense, Gavaskar finds himself in the company of other cricket veterans like Ashish Nehra, who have also backed the young batter to bounce back.
“Not a bit of a surprise, it is a surprise. Because he’s a class act. Quality batter, who’s had a fabulous season with the bat. Yes, I know he struggled for these few matches against South Africa. But you know, class always tells in the end. You know, form is always a little temporary,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
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Gavaskar on Shubman Gill's T20I form
Gavaskar has offered a measured defense of Gill’s recent struggles, attributing his lack of form to a lengthy layoff from competitive cricket. Gavaskar noted that returning to action after a significant break makes it incredibly difficult to find immediate rhythm, particularly in the shortest format where players are expected to play aggressively from the very first ball.
"We’ve seen in the IPL, he’s very, very good. So the T20 format is not something strange for him,” Gavaskar further stated.
Rather than dissecting batting techniques or offering tactical adjustments, Gavaskar’s advice was of a more personal and traditional nature. He noted that the injuries Gill has sustained recently seemed somewhat "freakish" and ill-timed, hindering his ability to find a consistent rhythm on the field. Consequently, the former captain suggested that Gill should focus on casting off the "evil eye," or nazar, recommending that he seek a traditional blessing from a family elder to help change his recent run of bad luck.
"I said that some of these injuries that he’s had have been a little freakish. And therefore you know that neck injury and then, of course, the knee injury. I said, Ghar pe kisiko bolo nazar utar de. You know, because we believe in that. We believe in ki kabhi kabhi nazar lag jaati hain,” Gavaskar concluded.