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Ricky Ponting reacts to Shubman Gill’s T20 World Cup omission from India's squad

Poulomi Chakraborty

Ponting reflects on Gill's snub (Source: @ImTanujSingh/x.com, @CricCrazyJohns/x.com)Ponting reflects on Gill's snub (Source: @ImTanujSingh/x.com, @CricCrazyJohns/x.com)

The T20 World Cup is just a month away, and Indian fans are buzzing with excitement as the tournament comes home. Even within the wave of excitement, the upcoming tournament has become disappointing for Shubman Gill as the Indian Test skipper faced a snub from the squad.

The questionable snub of Gill sparked different opinions across the cricket world. Reflecting on this matter, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting admitted he was taken aback by Gill being left out.

Ponting reacts to Gill’s unexpected T20 World Cup snub

Over the years, Shubman Gill has been a constant three-format player for India who thrived in every way. After taking charge as the Test skipper, the world saw his heroics, but his white-ball performance saw a low in recent times. After being ruled out of the ODI series against South Africa, he struggled in the shortest format.

After his T20I form sparked criticism, Team India’s 15-member T20 World squad was announced without Gill. As the cricket world was stunned by the brave call, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was also on the same list. Speaking on the ICC Review, Ponting said that Gill’s omission took him by surprise.

“I could not believe that. I mean, I know his recent form has not been great in white-ball cricket. The last time that I really saw much of him play was the Test series against England in the UK, where he batted as well as I have ever seen anybody bat,” he said.

Ponting praises Team India’s depth and backup strength

A player like Shubman Gill is rare, but his snub from the T20 World Cup 2026 squad unveiled another side of Indian cricket. The bold decision underscored that Indian cricket is brimming with world-class talent. While reflecting on this, Ponting highlighted the depth of talent in the Indian cricket.

“If you can think that someone as good as Shubman Gill doesn't get picked in a World Cup squad, then it goes to show how many good players they do have,” he said.

After returning to the T20I format in the Asia Cup, Gill’s T20I failure grabbed attention as he scored only 291 runs in 15 innings without a single half-century. After that, the World Cup snub added a new woe in his career. Adding to the disappointment, he will also miss India’s upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.