The narrative, however, shifted when Gill was recalled to India’s T20I side for the Asia Cup and reinstated as vice-captain, a move that projected him as a future all-format captain. To fit him into the XI, Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav dropped Sanju Samson from the opening slot and pushed him down the order. Despite scoring three T20I hundreds as an opener in the last year, Samson lost his place in a role that never quite suited his game – No. 6 – and was eventually replaced by Jitesh Sharma. The calls sparked debate but didn’t hurt results, with India winning the Asia Cup and series against Australia and South Africa. What did change, though, was India’s batting approach. Gill’s inclusion altered the earlier all-out attack built around Samson and Abhishek Sharma. It shifted most of the explosive responsibility onto Abhishek while Gill settled into the anchor’s role.

And even then, 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. The pressure clearly intensified during the South Africa series, and it was evident in the manner of his dismissals. Gill was often undone by rash shot selection, a departure from the composed and measured approach that has usually defined his batting.

The injury picked up in the nets ahead of the fourth T20I is where things reached a crescendo regarding India’s T20 World Cup squad selection. With Gill unavailable, Samson returned to the opening slot in the fifth T20I and made it count straightaway. The wicketkeeper-batter smashed a brisk 37, asserting himself against the Proteas bowlers and bringing back the fearless batting approach India had missed in recent months. That one innings proved decisive, while Gill, despite being the team’s vice-captain, missed out on a World Cup spot — a call that surprised many, but one that aligned with what had unfolded over the past few months, where his numbers and approach no longer matched the direction the Indian T20 side was heading.

Also Read – Rejected for T20 World Cup, Shubman Gill eyes Vijay Hazare stage to reclaim white-ball status

Leaving Gill out of the T20 World Cup squad was a decision rooted in form and direction, and it made sense in the larger context. What hasn’t made sense is the reaction that followed. The criticism on social media has often crossed the line, turning a professional setback into a personal pile-on. Gill is still a high-quality batter with time firmly on his side, and phases like these are hardly uncommon in modern cricket. Judging a young player solely on one format or one stretch ignores both perspective and patience, qualities Indian cricket will need if it hopes to nurture its next generation rather than tear it down.

Gill, expectations, and the cost of fan toxicity

The retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the Test side ushered India into a tricky transition phase, and Gill’s stepping up on the England tour was seen as a positive, forward-looking sign. Since then, he has been positioned as the new face of Indian cricket, a tag that hasn’t gone down well with a section of fans. India has always been a hero-driven nation, where Kohli and Rohit were unmatched crowd-pullers over the past decade, earning their status through consistent performances on the biggest stages. Their fanbases remained loyal even after their retirement.

But many fans feel that Gill hasn’t yet done enough to claim the “poster boy” or “Prince” tag, and his return to the T20I side during the Asia Cup seemed to reinforce that sentiment. Yet, the reaction to his recent exclusion has been troubling, with some celebrating his drop in a manner that feels toxic and counterproductive for Indian cricket. While his omission may have been justified from a team perspective, the public celebration of it only adds to the negativity. Seeing a Test and ODI captain react so strongly to losing his spot in one format highlights the worrying level of social media toxicity that has been growing among the fan base in recent years.

The Indian selection committee has put together a well-balanced squad for the T20 World Cup that aligns with the team management’s plans and approach. However, fans need to remember that Shubman Gill will return to the Test and ODI sides, and as captain in both formats. At that stage, he will require the backing and encouragement of the fans. If the current wave of negativity and toxicity continues, it risks harming Indian cricket in those formats, undermining the very future the team is trying to build.