Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting voiced his astonishment after Shubman Gill was left out of India’s 15‑member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, to be co‑hosted by India and Sri Lanka in February–March. Ponting, speaking on ICC Review, admitted he “couldn’t believe” the decision, underscoring how competitive selection has become in Indian cricket. 

Gill, who has been a key figure in India’s Test and ODI setups and even served as vice‑captain in T20Is earlier, failed to secure a place in the T20 World Cup squad. The BCCI selectors opted for format specialists like Rinku Singh, Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson instead, with Gill’s recent white‑ball numbers cited as a primary reason for his exclusion. 

“I know his recent form hasn’t been great in white‑ball cricket,” Ponting said, referring to Gill’s modest returns in the T20I format. He added that Gill’s omission “just shows how many good players India has,” a sentiment reflecting the immense talent pool in Indian cricket. 

Gill had returned to the T20I side for the Asia Cup and was appointed vice‑captain, but a series of underwhelming scores — including low returns during the South Africa series — undermined his case for selection. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar explained that the decision was driven by team balance and the need for players better suited to the specific demands of T20 cricket. 

Despite missing out on the T20 World Cup squad, Gill continues to be a central figure for India in the longer formats and is expected to lead the team in the upcoming ODI series vs New Zealand beginning January 11