Shubman Gill Dropped from T20 World Cup Squad; Ricky Ponting Surprised

• Shubman Gill excluded from India's T20 World Cup 2026 squad, despite captaining the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
• Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting expressed surprise at Gill's omission, citing his excellent batting skills.
• Ponting noted that Gill's exclusion highlights the immense depth and competitive selection process in Indian cricket.
• He acknowledged Gill's recent dip in white-ball form but praised his performance in the Test series against England.
• Gill's recent T20I stats: 291 runs in 15 innings at an average of 24.25 and a strike rate of 137.26, with no half-centuries.

Why It Matters: Shubman Gill's T20 World Cup exclusion surprises Ricky Ponting, showcasing India's deep talent pool.