Harbhajan sympathises with Shubman Gill but hands Agarkar perfect 10 for T20 World Cup squad: 'Need big players to fire'

Harbhajan showered praise on chief selector Ajit Agarkar for India’s T20 World Cup squad, calling it a well-rounded unit packed with match-winners.

Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh lauded BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar for the calls made while picking India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. The selection panel was willing to take a few bold decisions for the marquee event, most notably leaving out Shubman Gill despite his recent stint as vice-captain in T20Is, including the Asia Cup. The team management opted for a wicketkeeper–batter at the top alongside Abhishek Sharma, with Sanju Samson regaining his place in the batting order. The reshuffle also saw Jitesh Sharma miss out, as Ishan Kishan earned a recall after leading Jharkhand to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title.

Shubman Gill was left out of the T20 World Cup squad picked by Ajit Agarkar's selection committee. (AFP)

Harbhajan showered praise on chief selector Ajit Agarkar for India’s T20 World Cup squad, calling it a well-rounded unit packed with match-winners. While expressing sympathy for Shubman Gill’s omission, the former spinner backed the selectors’ vision and expressed confidence in the team’s ability to deliver on the biggest stage.

"The team is really good. I had told that Ajit should be given 10/10 for the team. I felt a little bad for Shubman, but he will get more chances soon. All the players are match winners in their own right. Hope we can win back-to-back World Cups because we have that team," Harbhajan Singh told ANI.

The selectors have opted for a power-packed squad for the marquee event, with depth and match-winners across departments. The only lingering concern, however, surrounds skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s recent form. The Indian captain has endured a lean run over the past year, failing to score a half-century, while his trademark strike rate has dipped noticeably. With expectations high, his return to form could prove crucial to India’s campaign.

“Suryakumar Yadav has not made many runs but…”

The 2007 T20 World Cup-winning spinner further weighed in on India’s key players ahead of the tournament, backing Suryakumar to deliver on the big stage while highlighting the match-winning potential of Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya and the pace duo of Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah.

"Suryakumar has not made many runs, but when the WC comes, we will need big players to fire. He will shine bright in that big match. Abhishek (Sharma) can win you matches on your own. The form Hardik (Pandya) is in, he is a key player. We also have Arshdeep (Singh) and (Jasprit) Bumrah in pace," he added.