Shubman Gill was the fourth-highest run-scorer of the previous season.
Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Cheteshwar Pujara has backed the Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill to have a brilliant season in the upcoming IPL 2026, following the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup snub. He has also discussed the pathway for India’s Test and ODI skipper to get back to the World Champion T20I side.
The last-moment snub for the home T20 World Cup will push the opener to prove his mettle in the IPL 2026, Pujara believes. After the previous IPL season, the GT skipper has already been handed over the leadership duties for the national team in two of the formats. Gill was also appointed the vice-captain of the 20-over team ahead of the Asia Cup.
“The T20 World Cup squad snub will definitely fire up Shubman Gill. He is a quality player suited for all three formats. He is leading the Test squad and is also the ODI captain. He is a multi-format player. If he has a good season, he will be back in the scheme of things for the Indian team,” he stated on a JioHotstar show.
However, a noteworthy IPL 2026 season might once again push his case to enter the T20I squad. But the batter would have to wait for his turn, considering the spectacular form of India’s destructive top three, comprising Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Ishan Kishan. The former player also discussed that Gill would need to play a more aggressive brand of cricket to fit into India’s current T20I plans.
“There will be some pressure on him because he has not been part of the India squad in the shortest format. He needs to try to accelerate a little more because that is something he has been working on. This IPL season is the perfect one for him to show he can bat at a strike rate of 150 to 160,” added Pujara.
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The IPL 2026 would be a huge opportunity for the right-hander to make a return to India’s T20I team. Despite Suryakumar Yadav’s recent success in guiding the team to their third 20-over championship, his individual rough patch of form in international fixtures might risk his place in the long run.
Moreover, the 35-year-old might have limited opportunities to continue leading the team, as the management has often focused on building a young squad. With Gill donning the skipper’s hat in the other two formats, he could become an easy choice to fill in the spot, backed by a magnificent IPL 2026 outing.
His T20 captaincy credentials already reflect three playoff qualifications in four editions for the Titans. After finishing the last season with 650 runs in 15 matches, including six fifty-plus scores, another prolific outing would surely bolster his chances to re-enter India’s plans for the shortest format of the game.
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