Despite a good 2026 IPL, the selection committee has urged Test and ODI skipper Shubman Gill to focus on red-ball and 50-over cricket during the 2027 ODI World Cup cycle in order to keep him fit for important duties that lie ahead.
The Indian Test captain was not taken into consideration when the T20 squads for the UK Tour and Asian Games were released on Saturday due to his two important ICC commitments in a packed schedule.
With Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the squad, it is challenging to fit in another good top order batsman. Gill made 732 runs in the just finished IPL at a solid strike-rate of 163 plus, which is his best over the seasons.
“The selectors are concerned that there shouldn’t be a burn-out case with Gill. The kind of calendar that the 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,” PTI quoted a BCCI source as saying.
“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.
Gill is currently out of the T20 picture, but it is anticipated that he will make a comeback before the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles or the T20 World Cup in Australia.
“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 plan till 2027 ODI World Cup,” he added.
