India’s T20 World Cup picks suggest leadership stability has trumped performance. Shubman Gill, inconsistent but promising, misses the cut, while Suryakumar Yadav stays on as captain despite a sustained dip in his performances with the bat. The stats are stark: no fifty in 22 T20I knocks and just two scores over 25 in the last year. For a side chasing another ICC title, backing experience over form could prove a high-stakes gamble.

Former T20 World Cup winner Robin Uthappa weighed in on the contrasting T20 prospects of Yadav and Gill, laying out his view with clarity.

“When it comes to World Cup selection, there’s room for just one out-of-form player. Beyond that, it turns into a concern,” Uthappa said on his YouTube channel.

“I feel the omission is down to SKY’s lack of runs,” anchor Jarrod Kimber suggested.

“That’s probably true. SKY hasn’t lost form, he’s just not getting runs. It’s a nuance that’s difficult to understand without high-level playing experience. Gill’s situation is different — he’s out of form,” Uthappa explained.

Speaking about Gill, Uthappa felt the batter looked uncertain. “I’m not suggesting Shubman deserved selection based on his current form. He doesn’t appear to be in great rhythm. You can sense the uncertainty in his eyes. Even at the crease, there seems to be confusion. He has faced some quality bowling as well. Lungi had an excellent series and consistently tested him whenever they went head-to-head,” Uthappa said.

He said the squad announcement caught him off guard. “I was genuinely surprised. I’d just returned home late, was exhausted and spending time with my kids. I took a short nap, checked my phone after waking up and couldn’t believe it. That said, I was pleased. I think they’ve selected a strong group. My concern isn’t about players being left out, but about the process behind those calls,” he concluded.