Gill misses the Punjab match in VHT due to food poisoning
India cricket team star Shubman Gill was compelled to miss the 5th round match of Punjab in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Sikkim on Saturday. The batsman, who was supposed to participate in a couple of VHT matches before linking up with the Indian side ahead of India’s three-match ODI series, was diagnosed with food poisoning on Friday after he arrived in Jaipur to take part in the match. The Indian captain is expected to feature in just one match against Goa on 6th January before the series. The report claims that the decision to rest the Punjab batter was taken after consultation between doctors and team management. The report states that the decision was also taken keeping in mind the India-New Zealand ODI series, which will begin on 11th January and will see Gill lead the Indian team. Shubman hasn’t been in good form, both physically and with the bat, over the past few months. He suffered a neck injury during India’s first Test against South Africa in Kolkata that forced him to miss not just the 2nd Test but also the ODI series against South Africa. He then returned to action in the T-20 International series against South Africa. However, Gill picked up a foot injury towards the end of the series.
Now Gill, Jadeja, and Rahul will play the Vijay Hazare Trophy in January
After being snubbed in the T-20 World Cup, India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, and star batter KL Rahul are all set to play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in January. The trio will join their respective teams ahead of the upcoming three-match ODI series against New Zealand, beginning on 11th January. According to Cricbuzz, Shubman Gill is expected to feature in Punjab’s matches on January 3 and 6 against Sikkim and Goa in Jaipur. Punjab, grouped with powerhouse Mumbai in Group C, currently sits fourth with two wins from three games. After playing two games, Gill will leave his state side to join the Indian team, which is set to assemble in Baroda on 7th and 8th January before the first ODI against New Zealand. Ravindra Jadeja has also informed the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) that he will play the January 6 and 8 fixtures against Services and Gujarat. Saurashtra are playing their league matches in Alur, Karnataka, and currently have one win from three games, placing them sixth in the eight-team group. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has not confirmed KL Rahul’s participation, but he’s likely to play in the January 3 and 6 games against Tripura and Rajasthan in Ahmedabad. Karnataka is second in Group A, maintaining a 100% win record from three matches. Only fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been exempted from the mandatory commitments as the BCCI is managing his workload carefully.
T-20 World Cup: Kishan back, Gill out from Indian team
Ishan Kishan returned to the Indian team for the forthcoming T-20 World Cup after a gap of more than two years. The T-20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in February next year. BCCI announced the team on Saturday. Kishan, whose last T20 international was against Australia in 2023, has proved his mettle in domestic and first-class cricket. Ishan Kishan had an outstanding performance in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he was the highest scorer with 571 runs, guiding Jharkhand to clinch the title. The 15-member squad, announced for the T20 World Cup 2026, will also feature in the five-match T20I series against New Zealand in January. However, Shubman Gill has missed out on a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad, with his recent numbers in the format weighing heavily against him. The India Test captain has gone 18 T20I innings without a half-century, a prolonged drought that has weakened his case in a format driven by output and immediacy. The recently concluded T-20I series against South Africa did little to change perceptions. Gill managed scores of 4, 0 and 28, reinforcing concerns over his impact and reliability at the top of the order.
