Overview
- Punjab named Gill in an 18-man Vijay Hazare Trophy squad starting December 24 in Jaipur, though his game time could shrink with India’s New Zealand ODIs from January 11.
- BCCI’s December 20 announcement reinstated Sanju Samson at the top and recalled Ishan Kishan as keeper-batter, with Jitesh Sharma missing out.
- Gill managed 291 runs in 15 T20I innings over the past four months without a fifty, striking at about 137 with recent scores of 4, 0 and 28 against South Africa.
- Media reports describe a split selection meeting, with chief selector Ajit Agarkar and coach Gautam Gambhir backing Gill and selectors RP Singh and Pragyan Ojha opposing his inclusion.
- Analysts say the call disrupts India’s leadership roadmap and could steer the post‑Suryakumar T20I captaincy debate back toward Hardik Pandya.