India’s ODI captain, Shubman Gill endured a disappointing return to domestic cricket, with his outing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy failing to deliver the confidence boost he would have hoped for. Gill was dismissed for just 11 runs against Goa, a performance that quickly drew sharp reactions on social media and reignited conversations around his recent dip in form.
Once regarded as one of India’s most reliable white-ball batters, Gill has struggled to find consistency through 2025. His lean run culminated in his omission from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad last December. The numbers underline the concern — Gill has not registered a half-century in his last seven ODI appearances and managed just one fifty in T20Is across the previous calendar year.
The failure against Goa triggered heavy trolling online, with sections of fans branding him a “flat-track bully” and questioning his ability to cope even at the domestic level. While the criticism may be harsh, it reflects the scrutiny that comes with leadership and past success at the international level.
ALSO READ: Sanjay Manjrekar Questions Virat Kohli’s Commitment To Test Cricket After 2020
The match against Goa marked Gill’s first 50-over appearance since suffering a neck injury during the Test series against South Africa. That freak injury at Eden Gardens forced him to miss both the Test and ODI assignments, disrupting his rhythm at a crucial stage of the season.
Shubman Gill dismissed for 11 (12) in the 211-run chase against Goa in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, caught at first slip. pic.twitter.com/Zgi8vwG6zj
— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) January 6, 2026
Chasing a modest target of 212 after Goa were bowled out for 211, Gill walked in as Punjab’s second batter. He struck two boundaries early but was undone by pacer Vasuki Koushik in the fifth over, failing to capitalise on the start. Fortunately for Punjab, his dismissal had little impact on the result. Harnoor Singh anchored the chase with a composed unbeaten 94 off 90 balls, well supported by Naman Dhir’s 68, as Punjab cruised home with six wickets in hand.
ALSO READ: Shreyas Iyer Marks Comeback With Commanding Knock In Vijay Hazare Trophy
In contrast, Shreyas Iyer made headlines on the same day with a commanding comeback knock. The Mumbai batter smashed 82 off 53 balls against Himachal Pradesh, playing a key role in a shortened match affected by fog. The contrasting performances only highlighted the fine margins that separate confidence from scrutiny in elite cricket.
Society always favours women. Shubman Gill is a prime example of this. In the last 8 months, Gill has failed in 7 ODIs, 15 T20Is and 1 VHT match. But despite this, Gambhir mf is backing her from all corners. It’s a shame.💔 pic.twitter.com/wdMUvLBzFw
— 𝐇𝐲𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧 (@ImHydro45) January 6, 2026
Shubman Gill fell short of a century by just 89 runs today. Unfortunate dismissal for our captain — the ball clearly didn’t respect his leadership….
Now it makes sense why he skipped the Maharashtra match. Domestic pitches don’t come with the ‘flat track…. pic.twitter.com/4bP1bkeWdS— Rakesh (@Rakesh328334981) January 6, 2026
shubman gill can’t even play club level bowlers 😭 pic.twitter.com/bKNi4dSqq6
— ` (@arrestshubman) January 6, 2026
🚨🚨Shubman Gill gone for 11 runs vs Goa
– Now Shubman Gill doesn’t have a 50+ score in white bowl since 20 Feb, 2025.
– Shubman Gill has failed in 7 ODIs, 15 T2OIs & 1 List A game consecutively.
Shreyas coming from 2 months+ injury layoff scored 82 runs off 53 balls!! pic.twitter.com/N7rNVGf2o3
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) January 6, 2026
