Former India wicketkeeper-batter Syed Kirmani believes Shubman Gill should not have been dropped from the 2026 T20 World Cup squad despite Gill’s poor T20I form. In a stunning move, the Indian management excluded Gill from the 15-member squad for the tournament despite him being the vice-captain as well.

Reacting to this, Kirmani said on IANS: “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.”

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“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,” he added.

However, Syed Kirmani opined on fellow wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant’s white-ball future in the Indian team as well. He also said that Pant’s talent cannot be overlooked also.

“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. 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,” Syed Kirmani concluded.