Veteran India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes Shubman Gill will feel the heat to force his way back into the T20I side, using the upcoming IPL season as his platform. Despite being India’s captain in Tests and ODIs, Gill missed out on the T20 World Cup squad at the last moment, with the team management opting for a different top-order combination.
However, Gill’s IPL record leaves little doubt about his ability. Over the past few seasons, he has been a key figure for Gujarat Titans, not just as a batter but also as a leader. Since 2020, he has consistently delivered, registering 400-plus runs in multiple campaigns. With that level of consistency behind him, the focus will now be on converting those performances into a strong case for a T20I return as his strike rate will be under the scanner, especially with competition for top-order spots only getting tougher.
Pujara believes the upcoming IPL season could play a defining role in Gill’s T20I future, suggesting the snub from the World Cup squad may serve as the perfect motivation for the young skipper to make a strong statement.
“The T20 World Cup squad snub will definitely fire up Shubman Gill. He is a quality player suited for all three formats. If he has a good IPL 2026 season, he will surely put his name in India’s T20I squad. 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,” Pujara said on JioHotstar’s ‘Game Plan – Know Your Team’.
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“There will be some pressure on Shubman Gill”
Pujara also pointed out that while Shubman will feel the pressure of being out of India’s T20I setup, the upcoming IPL offers him the ideal stage to fine-tune his approach, lift his strike rate, and prove he can meet the demands of the shortest format.
“There will be some pressure on him because he has not been part of the India squad in the shortest format. But at the same time, it is a great opportunity for him to carry on batting the way he has. 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,” Pujara added.
