🏏 **Shubman Gill** Shocked by T20 WC Axe Revelation

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Key Takeaways

1📊 Gill got call mid-travel from Ahmedabad
2🏆 Prepped for SA 5th T20 despite foot niggle
3💡 Vice-captain axed for WC, NZ series
4🔮 IPL 2026 key to T20I return
5💬 'Surprised despite gearing up' - sources

"Gill was taken by surprise after learning of his exclusion from India's T20 World Cup squad shortly before the official announcement"

Shubman Gill, recent T20I vice-captain, learned of his shock exclusion from India's 2026 T20 World Cup squad hours before the BCCI announcement on December 20. En route from Ahmedabad to Chandigarh, a call informed him mid-travel, catching the opener off-guard despite mental prep for the event and New Zealand series. This late notice underscores selection ruthlessness ahead of the mega-event.

Gill's T20I record boasts average 35+, but a right-foot niggle sidelined him from the fourth SA T20I, fueling doubts. Gearing for the fifth despite injury, his ambition mirrored Rohit Sharma's pre-WC focus, yet form dips post-SA series cost him. India's white-ball machine demands peak output.

Selection Shock: Gill's Form vs Fitness

Sources confirm surprise, with Gill primed for NZ series (5 T20Is). Stats: SR 140+ historically, but recent SA struggles echo KL Rahul's 2022 WC omit. BCCI prioritized returnees like Ishan Kishan.