Sanjay Manjrekar didn’t just react to India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup – he used X to frame it as a tacit admission of a previous mistake. In a sharp post, Manjrekar suggested this Shubman GillThe omission is not a bold move but a corrective step by decision-makers trying to make amends for a misstep following the England tour. This connection to England is significant: Gill had an exceptional 2025 Test series there, scoring 754 runs, a tally that might baffle even the most form-conscious decision-makers.
Contribution by Sanjay Manjrekar
Still, Manjrekar’s observation is clear: success in Tests does not automatically guarantee a place in T20 cricket, especially in a World Cup season where defined roles carry more weight than reputation. India’s squad selection clearly reflects this mindset. The team has two wicketkeeping options – Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan – both of whom can open. There is a powerful opening option Abhishek Sharma and a late-inning finisher Rinku SinghThis signals the focus of the selection on specialists for certain phases of the game.
Even Ajit Agarkar‘s explanation reflects this logic. He spoke of there being a “lack of small runs” and stressed the need to balance combinations – opting for a keeper at the top comes at the expense of excluding a pure batsman. This argument becomes even more convincing when Gill’s recent T20I form is taken into account: he has not scored 50 in his last 18 innings and is also struggling with a foot injury. What may have started as an emotional misstep is now a pragmatic correction. Manjrekar’s contribution underlines a broader shift in India’s approach: the squad is no longer about selecting the 15 best players, but filling 15 predefined roles for the tournament. Management has made it clear that even high-profile players can be left out if the team schedule doesn’t leave room for them. This philosophy prioritizes structure and role-specific strategy over star power and signals a calculated, methodical approach to the World Cup.
