“I requested him to ask an elder in the family to do it” - Sunil Gavaskar’s huge statement on Shubman Gill after T20 World Cup 2026 squad announcement

Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar has opened up on Shubman Gill's exclusion from the T20 World Cup 2026 squad. Gavaskar revealed that he had cheekily advised Gill to have any of the elders in his family to cast off the evil eye, given the injuries he had suffered recently.

Having been recalled to the T20I set up for Asia Cup 2025 and made vice-captain, the right-handed batter has struggled to produce the returns expected of him. In 15 innings since his return to the T20I side, the 26-year-old's highest score has only been 47.

A foot injury ruled Gill out of the fifth T20I against South Africa in Ahmedabad, giving Sanju Samson an opportunity. The latter made a quick-fire 37 and will potentially open in the T20 World Cup.

Speaking to Star Sports. Gavaskar hilariously recalled telling Suryakumar Yadav on the flight back to Ahmedabad about his availability for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He said, as quoted by The Indian Express:

"He was in the same flight coming back from Ahmedabad with Surya. So two things I am going to say. Surya was sitting on the seat in front of me, I tapped him on the arm and told him that I am available for selection. So that is also a surprise for me. And the other thing is, when we were getting off, I do hope Shubman takes it in the right spirit. Because all I want is the very best for him. I said, some of these injuries that he has had was a little freakish. The neck injury and now recently the toe injury. I said ghar me jaa kar kisi ko bol dena ki nazar utar de. Because we believe in that. Nazar kabhi kabhi lag jaati hai. I requested him to ask an elder in the family to do it."

Gill suffered a neck injury during the first of the two Tests against South Africa at home after batting only for three deliveries. It rendered him unavailable for the second Test and the following ODI series, while the foot injury occurred while batting in the nets in Lucknow.

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"Class always tells in the end" - Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar. (Image Credits: Getty)

While Gavaskar stated that Gill's omission was a surprise, he admits that a recent lack of form hasn't done him a favour either. Gavaskar elaborated:

"The ommission of Shubman Gill is a surprise. He is a class act, quality batter who has a good season. Yes, I know he struggled for these last few matches. But class always tells in the end, form is always temporary. And he was also coming (into the series against South Africa) after a long layoff. He was not in any rhythm. When you are not rhythm and you play the shortest format of the game, where you’ve got to go bang bang, and moreover, if your natural bend is playing along the ground, he is more a Test player. It doesn’t come easily to play the kind of shots that gets you runs in the T20 format. So he had a bit of a problem, but he is very good. We have seen it in the IPL as well. So maybe just that bit of lack of form might have gone against him."

Team India will open their T20 World Cup campaign against USA on February 7 in Mumbai.

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava