'Don’t think it was the right call' - Syed Kirmani on star batter's 2026 T20 World Cup snub

Former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani believes that Shubman Gill should have been picked in India's 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is set to be played in India and Sri Lanka between February 7 and March 9.

Kirmani said that the selectors should not have ignored Shubman's form in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in the United Kingdom, where he finished as the highest run-getter. The former also mentioned that there should be more clarity regarding the reason behind the non-selection of a player.

"You must withstand and overlook these fluctuations without sidelining a player who performed well in earlier matches. His excellent form, outstanding innings, especially the iconic one in England against England, shouldn't be ignored. You see, as poor form occurs, that doesn't necessarily mean removing the player from the team. So, if he was dropped because of his form, don’t think it was the right call," Kirmani said on IANS.

"However, there should be clarity when a player is not selected or is dropped. There's a difference between not being chosen and being dropped, and reasons—such as personal issues—should be shared, similar to how foreign players or the selection committee communicate."

'There is so much competition for him' - Syed Kirmani on Rishabh Pant's white-ball future

Rishabh Pant also couldn't make it to the side for the T20 World Cup. He has not played T20I cricket for India since July 2024. Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan are the two wicketkeeping options India are carrying into the marquee event. However, Pant has been in the ODI setup as a backup for KL Rahul.

Kirmani expressed his doubts over Pant's future in white-ball cricket, saying that there are a lot of talented wicketkeepers competing for a place in the side.

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"He (Pant) has got a lot of age behind him, and he is a talent in abundance. There is no two ways about it. So he cannot be overlooked. But at the same time, there is so much competition for him. There are four or five wicket-keepers. You cannot overlook their performance either," said Kirmani (via the aforementioned source)," Kirmani said.

And off and on, he has not been very consistent in meeting the team's requirements. So that doesn't mean that he should be sidelined totally. As and when he is in good form, he can be brought in at any time," he concluded.