Shubman Gill's T20 return only a matter of time: Manjrekar predicts after Abhishek-Samson flop vs Ireland

Sanjay Manjrekar made a bold prediction, saying he expects Shubman Gill to gradually return to India's T20 setup.

Updated on: Jun 29, 2026, 19:10:55 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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India suffered a shock T20I series defeat to Ireland in Belfast on Sunday, where the star-studded batting line-up under new captain Shreyas Iyer failed to fire in both matches. The back-to-back defeats intensified criticism of India's top order, especially after Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson were dismissed for golden ducks in the second T20I. It also reignited the debate over whether teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should have been given an opportunity after his stellar IPL 2026 campaign.

Shubman Gill has not been part of T20Is since December 2025 (PTI)

After dominating on batting-friendly IPL pitches, India's batters struggled to adapt to the seam-friendly conditions in Ireland. They were bowled out for 148 while chasing 183 in the series opener and could only manage 153/9 in the second match, eventually losing a last-ball thriller to surrender the series 0-2.

Amid the batting collapse, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar made a bold prediction, saying he expects Shubman Gill to gradually return to India's T20 setup. He cited Gill's impressive IPL performances and proven record in English conditions as reasons why the opener still has an important role to play in the format.

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"Shubman Gill... just for people to understand, this is a guy who is a T20 batter now and had a tremendous IPL as well. I'm not talking about captaincy, but these are the players you slowly want to introduce back into T20 cricket because they have a little more depth in conditions like these and are used to them as well, like we saw when he played in England and overseas," Manjrekar said on Sony Sports during the second T20I.

"That is the path for Shubman Gill going forward. It won't happen immediately, but I think you will slowly start seeing him back in India's T20 plans."

Gill in T20Is

Gill returned to India's T20I setup last September following an impressive tour of England, where he showcased his adaptability in overseas conditions. The BCCI even named him vice-captain in the format, with reports suggesting he was being groomed as India's next T20 skipper after the 2026 World Cup. However, a prolonged lean patch forced the selectors to shelve those plans ahead of the ICC tournament.

Overall, he has played 36 T20I matches for India, scoring 869 runs at a strike rate of 138.59, including 1 century and 3 fifties.

Despite missing out on the Ireland tour, Gill made a strong case for his comeback with a prolific IPL 2026 campaign, scoring 732 runs for the Gujarat Titans. Manjrekar believes that form, coupled with his experience in dealing with difficult batting conditions, could eventually pave the way for his return to India's T20 squad.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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