Team India’s ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill is set to play for Punjab in the remaining domestic season of 2025-26. After being left out of the T20 World Cup 2026 squad, Gill has been included in the squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy and is also expected to play for his state in the Ranji Trophy 2025-26.
Without immediate T20I commitments, Gill will focus on the longer formats at the state level. Punjab’s team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy includes many players like Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Prabhsimran Singh, Anmolpreet Singh, Naman Dheer, Ramandeep Singh and Harpreet Brar.
However, Punjab has not yet confirmed who will lead the team in the tournament. The delay in announcing the captain has caught the attention of fans, especially as Gill is one of the senior players of the team.
Shubman Gill ready to play two Vijay Hazare Trophy matches
According to the report of Times of India, Shubman Gill will play two List A matches for Punjab in January. They are expected to play against Sikkim and Goa in Jaipur.
Gill will return to international cricket after completing his domestic commitments. He is scheduled to join the Indian ODI team for the three-match series against New Zealand, which will begin in Vadodara and conclude in Indore in late January.
“Shubman will play two matches in January – on the 3rd and 6th – before joining the team for the ODI series against New Zealand. He also wants to play the remaining rounds of the Ranji Trophy for Punjab,” a PCA official told TimesofIndia.com.
Shubman Gill ready to return to red-ball domestic cricket after New Zealand ODI
Shubman Gill is expected to return to domestic cricket after India’s ODI series against New Zealand. Punjab will play two Ranji Trophy matches in late January and Gill has already informed the state association that he is available and eager to play.
Punjab will face Saurashtra in Rajkot, followed by a home match against Karnataka in Mullanpur. The team is currently placed sixth with 11 points from five matches, having won only one so far, but still have a chance to qualify for the quarter-finals in the remaining matches.
If Punjab manages to make it to the knockout stage, Gill can continue playing Ranji Trophy cricket in February. His participation will be crucial as the team looks to revive their campaign and strive for a spot in the latter stages of the tournament.
Shubman Gill left out of India’s 15-member squad for T20 World Cup 2026
After inconsistent performances in the shortest format, Shubman Gill has been left out of India’s 15-man squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Gill made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka in 2023 and returned to the setup during the Asia Cup 2025. However, he struggled to stake a strong claim following his return. In the Asia Cup, he scored 127 runs in 7 matches at an average of 21.16 and strike rate of 151.19.
Gill scored 132 runs at an average of 44 and strike rate of 136.08 in the five-match T20 series against Australia. In the recent T20 series against South Africa, he scored only 32 runs in 3 matches at an average of 10.66 and strike rate of 103.22.
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