'He is still the Test captain' - Harbhajan Singh backs Shubman Gill amidst T20 team snub

The selectors dropped star batter Shubman Gill from India's T20I squad ahead of the upcoming New Zealand series and the 2026 World Cup, as Sanju Samson has replaced him as one of the preferred opening batters. Harbhajan Singh, the former India cricketer, still believes that the Punjab cricketer's ouster from the T20 side is a combination of team balance and the heavy competition within the side.

The legendary India spinner has opined that Gill continues to have a beautiful technique as a batter, and that it will help him make a return to the side. The cricketer-turned-commentator further reminded everyone that the 26-year-old continues to lead the Indian team in Tests as well as One-Day Internationals, which shows that the selectors have huge faith in his potential and abilities. 

“It is not a signal for Gill. He was not taking his place for granted, but the competition is so tough that there are many players who can take that slot and perform well for the team. This is not the end of the road for him. He is a great player with beautiful technique. I believe he will make a brilliant comeback, and we should not forget that he is still the Test captain,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying by India Today.

Speaking further on Gill's omission from the T20 squad, Harbhajan added that he understands why the selectors did not go ahead with the Fazilka-born in the team. The veteran cricketer continues to believe that the right call has eventually been made, keeping in mind the conditions and the combinations for the global event.

“I was listening to Ajit Agarkar and Captain Suryakumar Yadav. They were saying that Gill was excluded because of the combination. They must have taken the call depending on the conditions and the combination,” Harbhajan added.

India squad for T20 World Cup 2026: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Axar Patel (vice-captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh