Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has continued to support the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for Shubman Gill’s omission from T20 World Cup 2026 squad. Manjrekar pointed out that Gill hasn't scored a T20I half-century in a long time. He reiterated the point he made about how crucial it is to score at a higher strike rate. He did not want Gill to be batting cautiously when he comes closer to a half-century.
“He hasn’t got a single 50 in 20 inngs. A stat often cited to suggest loss of form. T20s is & will always be about strike rates,” Manjrekar wrote on X.
“The last thing you want is an out of form batter playing cautiously when he comes close to 50. This will lose you the game.”
Earlier, Manjrekar had said that the selectors made amends for their mistake by dropping Gill. He feels that Gill's selection was based on his record-breaking run in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 on England soil.
“When you pick some one excitedly on Test performance for T20s, this is what happens. Gill omission is basically selectors rectifying a mistake they made when they got a bit carried away after the England tour,” the 60-year-old had said.
Changes made for T20 World Cup 2026 squad
Gill has been replaced by an inform Ishan Kishan who led Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title. With Kishan picked as a back-up wicketkeeper-batter who can bat at the top, Jitesh Sharma lost his place to Rinku Singh.
Reports claimed that Gill wasn’t informed about his omission until a few minutes before the press conference where the squad was announced.
Gill vs Gaikwad on December 24?
Meanwhile, Gill will be seen in action in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 which commences on December 24. If the Test and ODI skipper has recovered from a foot injury which ruled him out of last two T20Is against South Africa, he will be playing Punjab’s campaign opener against Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Maharashtra. In the previous edition, Maharashtra had knocked out Punjab out of the tournament in the quarter-final clash.