India, Dec. 24 -- Shubman Gill's exclusion from India's T20 World Cup squad has dominated discussion in recent days. Having served as vice-captain in several key series, including the Asia Cup, his omission raised eyebrows when the selectors finalised the squad for next year's marquee tournament. Given his leadership role and stature in the setup, the call has sparked widespread debate among fans and experts alike. Since his return to the T20I side in the Asia Cup, Gill struggled to fully justify his place in the XI. He managed just 291 runs across 15 matches at a strike rate of 137.26, failing to register a single half-century.

India reverted to their earlier opening pair, with Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma set to open the innings in...