India's selection panel has told Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill to limit T20 cricket. The aim is to keep Gill fresh for red-ball and 50-over duties.
This guidance covers the period up to the 2027 ODI World Cup cycle. The decision came despite Gill's strong 2026 IPL performance for Gujarat Titans.
T20 squads for the UK Tour and the Asian Games were named on Saturday. Gill was left out of those plans due to a packed schedule. India has two major ICC assignments in the near term. Selectors also flagged workload risks if Gill plays all three formats across the next 18 months.
Shubman Gill workload plan for Tests and ODIs
Selectors wanted to avoid a burn-out scenario involving Gill. The schedule ahead was described as too heavy for constant three-format cricket. "The kind of calendar that Indian cricket team has for next 18 months, it is virtually impossible to remain fresh if one plays three formats. Gill has to lead India in nine WTC Tests and also play around 35 odd ODIs before the start of 2027 World Cup, a BCCI source privy to developments told.\"
The same source said the message to Gill was direct. \"The communication is clear that he needs to be fit for these two ICC assignments. Plus he will play the IPL where he leads Gujarat Titans, the source added.\" The focus, as outlined, stayed on planning through the 2027 ODI World Cup period.
Shubman Gill T20 selection and squad competition
Gill ended the latest IPL with 732 runs and a strike-rate above 163. It was Gill's best strike-rate across seasons. Even so, fitting Gill into the current T20 mix looked difficult. The selected group already included Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Gill was not in the current T20 roadmap, but selectors did not rule out a return. The timeline mentioned was closer to the 2028 events. \"There is still a lot of time left for the two marquee T20 events in 2028. For Gill, the focus is on immediate future. Two years from now, no one knows which player will be in what kind of form and fitness. So this is the pla till 2027 ODI World Cup, he added.\"
For now, the selection view placed Tests and ODIs ahead of T20 games for Gill. The plan linked Gill's workload to nine WTC Tests and about 35 ODIs. Gill was also expected to continue in the IPL as Gujarat Titans captain. Any shift back to T20 duties was framed as a later call.
With inputs from PTI
