“At least there should be that much courtesy” – Former India cricketer opens up on Shubman Gill’s 2026 T20 World Cup snub

Former Indian cricketer Madan Lal has spoken out regarding Shubman Gill‘s absence from India’s 2026 T20 World Cup roster, expressing hope that he was told of the selection committee’s decision ahead of time. Gill was not selected for India’s 15-person roster for the major event, which will take place in February and March of next year.

He noted that Indian cricket has followed a similar pattern of informing players of their exclusion from future series or tournaments, underlining the importance of open communication in maintaining a player’s morale.

“Look, in Indian cricket this is usually how players are informed that they are not part of the squad. I hope someone must’ve called him. At least there should be that much courtesy. The chairman of selectors should call and say ‘sorry, you are not part of the team’. That kind of communication looks appropriate, and even for the player, it feels better. It may not feel good to hear it, but at least it’s something to know that ‘yes, they called me and informed me’,” shared Lal in an interview with KADAK.

Lal underscored how the broader consensus till sometime back was to make Shubman Gill an all-format captain.

However, he proceeded to mention that the views of the captain-coach duo concerning a player’s form matter more than people understand while selecting a squad for a global event such as a T20 World Cup.

“Just two or three months ago, we were thinking that Shubman Gill should be made captain in all three formats. You know, this up-and-down phase keeps happening in international cricket. Yes, if Gill had been in good form and scored good runs, then maybe he could’ve been selected. But it depends on the captain and the coach. Their views matter a lot, especially when a World Cup team is being selected,” he added.