Shubman Gill heads into IPL 2026 with something to settle. India’s ODI and Test captain was left out of the T20 World Cup squad in January a decision that raised plenty of eyebrows and as he prepares to lead Gujarat Titans when the season opens on March 28, former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara says that snub could well be the motivation Gill needs.
Speaking on JioHotstar’s Game Plan Know Your Team, Pujara was direct about what he expects. “The T20 World Cup squad snub will definitely fire up Shubman Gill,” he said. “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.”
Gill had played a key role in India’s Asia Cup triumph last September, which made his omission from the World Cup squad all the more striking. Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan were picked ahead of him instead.
Pujara acknowledged there will be pressure on Gill to deliver in the shortest format, but also sees the season as a genuine opportunity. “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. 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.”
The one area Pujara pointed to specifically: strike rate. “He needs to try and 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.”
Gujarat Titans open their IPL 2026 campaign on March 31 against Punjab Kings in Mullanpur. Their first home game follows on April 4, when they host Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium.