'T20? Mai toh hu hi nahi' - Shubman Gill responds to questions on India's T20I series vs West Indies

India's ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill gave a candid, light-hearted reply on October 5, 2026, when reporters pressed him on India's T20I series planning against West Indies.

The five-match T20I series against the West Indies is scheduled to get underway on October 6, 2026. By that point, the ODI leg of the tour had already wrapped up, with India completing a three-match series against the Caribbeans in New Chandigarh. That ODI series concluded on the same day that India's T20 squad was competing at the Asian Games in Japan, where they claimed the gold medal by beating Pakistan.

Gill responded in Hindi: 'T20? Mai toh hu hi nahi,' which translates to 'T20? I am not even there on the side.' The remark was a pointed reminder that Gill has had no part in India's T20I set-up since late 2025.

Gill's most recent T20I appearance for India came on December 14, 2025, against the Proteas. He was briefly elevated to T20I vice-captain around that period before being left out of the squad ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup, and he has not returned to the format since.

Why has Gill been kept out of India's T20I plans?

Gill was named T20I vice-captain in late 2025 but was subsequently dropped from the squad before the 2026 T20 World Cup. His last outing in the format, against South Africa on December 14, 2025, now stands as his most recent T20I cap for India. He has not been recalled since that tour.

The BCCI has not issued any official public statement giving a specific reason for Gill's continued absence from T20I cricket. What is clear is that Gill already carries a substantial workload as India's captain across both Tests and ODIs, and the selectors have chosen to keep those two formats as his primary responsibilities.

What is next for Gill while the T20I series is on?

With the five-match T20I series against the West Indies beginning October 6, 2026, Gill will play no part in that assignment.

The T20I series will give India's selectors a chance to evaluate their options in the shortest format without Gill in the picture. His attention, for now, stays firmly on his duties as Test and ODI captain, the two formats in which he continues to lead the side. He is set to lead India in the two formats for the upcoming all-format tour of New Zealand, the squad for which is expected to be announced on Tuesday.