India announced their squad on Saturday for the upcoming T20 World Cup in 2026. The biggest surprise in this team is Shubman Gill's exclusion. Axar Patel has been announced as the vice-captain in his place. Legendary Sunil Gavaskar is truly surprised by the right-handed batsman's omission. The former India captain called it a 'big shock' during a live telecast on Jio Hotstar.
Gavaskar admitted at the outset that he did not expect this at all. He said, "This is not something to be a little surprised about; this is truly astonishing."
Even while acknowledging Gill's recent form slump, Gavaskar praised his batting skills. He said, "He is a classy player. A good quality batsman who has had a wonderful season with the bat. Yes, I know he struggled for form in a few matches against South Africa. But class is what matters, which ultimately helps prove oneself. Form is temporary."
The former Indian batsman explained why batsmen appear more rusty after long breaks in the T20 format. He said, "He had returned to the team after a long break. When he was not in rhythm, it shows that without rhythm, problems arise when playing the shortest format, where you have to start hitting freely from the beginning."
Also Read | India vs South Africa 5th T20: India defeat South Africa by 30 runs
Gavaskar also revealed that he had just returned from Ahmedabad on the same flight with Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav. He disclosed that he had given special advice to Gill. The former star said, "When we were getting off the flight, I hope Shubman won't take this the wrong way, because I said it only wishing him well, anyway I had told him that some of his injuries are of a strange nature—he has neck and knee injuries, so he needs to get someone at home to ward off the evil eye. Because I believe sometimes the evil eye also affects."
