India ODI captain Shubman Gill has finally spoken about being left out of India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2026. Ahead of the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara, Gill said he respects the decision taken by the selectors and wished the team well for the tournament.
Gill said he believes everything happens as per destiny, and no one can take away what is meant for him. He added that a player always wants to give his best for the country, but the selectors have their own view, and he accepts it. Gill has struggled for form in T20 cricket recently, and the team management said the decision was taken keeping team balance in mind. After his exclusion, Axar Patel was named deputy to T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav.
While the focus is on the T20 World Cup, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are expected to be key for India in the ODI series against New Zealand. Both players are in good form and have already scored big runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. They remain important figures in India’s 50-over plans.
Gill’s response with the bat will be closely watched in this series, especially after injuries and poor T20 form affected him late last year during the South Africa tour. His return to the ODI XI could push Yashasvi Jaiswal out of the top order, even though Jaiswal scored his first ODI century in the last match against South Africa.
Shreyas Iyer is set to return and take back his No. 4 spot, ending several experiments in the batting order. KL Rahul is likely to continue as wicketkeeper and lower-order batter, which keeps Rishabh Pant as the backup option in ODIs. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are not part of the ODI series, as they are being rested for T20 cricket. The fast-bowling responsibility will fall on Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Prasidh Krishna.
The match is also special for Vadodara, as it is the first men’s international match at the new Kotambi Stadium. The ground had earlier hosted a women’s ODI series between India and the West Indies.
Shubman Gill Dismisses Dressing Room Tension Talk Ahead of New Zealand ODI Series
Shubman Gill has cleared the air about talk that the Indian ODI dressing room is not in a good space. Ahead of the home ODI series against New Zealand, Gill spoke openly about sharing the team with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and said the atmosphere in the squad is very positive.
Gill is leading India’s ODI team at a time when the Test side is going through changes under his captaincy. Gill said having Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli around makes his job much easier. He described Rohit as one of the greatest ODI openers ever and called Kohli one of the best ODI batters of all time. According to Gill, when you have players like them on the team, you always have support in tough moments.
He explained that both Rohit and Kohli have played in all kinds of situations over many years. When the team or the captain is under pressure, their experience becomes very valuable. Gill said he can always go to them, understand how they think, and learn what they would do in similar conditions, which helps him as a captain.
Gill took over as India’s ODI captain before the Australia tour in October. India lost that series 2-1, but there were still positives. Later matches against South Africa and Australia showed that in the ODI format, the team still heavily depends on Rohit and Kohli, who now only play ODIs at the international level.
There have been reports suggesting some friction in the ODI dressing room, with differences between senior players and team management. Gill strongly denied those claims. He said the team atmosphere is amazing and stressed that senior players have been part of Indian cricket for decades and always want to take the team forward. He added that the performances in recent series clearly show that things are working well inside the group.
FAQs
Q. How many ODIs has Shubman Gill played?
A. As of early 2026, Shubman Gill has played 58 One Day International matches for India.
Q. Has Shubman Gill scored 200 in ODI cricket?
A. Yes, Shubman Gill has scored 208 not out in an ODI against New Zealand.
Get the Latest Cricket Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.
