Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin has expressed surprise over Shubman Gill’s absence from the T20I setup and questioned the continued exclusion of Sarfaraz Khan and Auqib Nabi from the national Test squad.
Azharuddin praised Gill’s leadership and batting progress, saying the young batter has excelled as India’s captain in Tests and ODIs and deserves a place across all formats. Gill, who previously served as India’s vice-captain in T20 internationals, was left out of the squad ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup.
“Gill has done a very good job as captain. His personal performances have also improved tremendously,” Azharuddin said.
“He is among the finest players in the country. I honestly do not understand why he is not being picked for T20 cricket. He is good enough to play in every format and should never have been dropped from any of them,” he added. The former skipper also voiced his disappointment over the treatment of Sarfaraz Khan and Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, both of whom have produced impressive performances in domestic cricket but are yet to earn consistent opportunities at the highest level.
“Auqib Nabi is an outstanding red-ball bowler and one of the best swing bowlers around. I genuinely feel sorry for him,” Azharuddin said. “He has continued to take wickets season after season — 44 wickets in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy and 60 more in 2025-26 — yet he still cannot find a place in the Test team. That is extremely disappointing.” Azharuddin questioned the value of stressing the importance of domestic cricket if performances in those competitions are not adequately rewarded.
Also read: Smriti only Indian in TIME's 100 most influential sportspersons
“These youngsters have repeatedly delivered in domestic cricket. Everyone keeps saying players must perform in domestic tournaments. But what is the point if those performances are not recognised?” he asked. “Why wait until a player's best years are behind him before giving him an opportunity? Nabi may not be a specialist T20 bowler, but selectors should understand that his strengths are perfectly suited to Test cricket.”
The Hyderabad great also stressed the need for India to play more Test matches, describing the format as the ultimate examination of a cricketer’s skill and temperament. “There is no cricket without Test cricket. Players need to play more multi-day matches because that is where the real challenge lies,” he said.
“Conditions change, pitches behave differently and situations keep evolving. That is why it is called Test cricket. I believe the board is trying its best, but there should be a greater emphasis on longer-format cricket.”
Azharuddin also endorsed Shreyas Iyer’s appointment as India’s T20I captain, saying the Mumbai batter possesses the qualities required to succeed in the role. “He has earned the opportunity through his performances and can develop into an excellent captain,” Azharuddin said.
“He has a very sharp cricketing mind and, with more experience, I am confident he will continue to grow both as a leader and as a player.” At the same time, Azharuddin backed the selectors’ decision to move on from Suryakumar Yadav as captain and leave him out of the T20I squad despite his role in guiding India to a record-extending third T20 World Cup title.
“In international cricket, consistency is everything. Performances matter a lot,” he said. “There are many talented young players coming through the system, and you cannot rely solely on what someone has achieved in the past. You have to keep delivering every time you get an opportunity.”
On the subject of senior stars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Azharuddin said retirement decisions should rest entirely with the players themselves. “It is a deeply personal decision. Every player must decide when the time is right to step away and whether he still has more to offer,” he said.
“Both Rohit and Virat are exceptionally talented cricketers who have contributed immensely to Indian cricket. A player understands his own body, mental state and performance levels better than anyone else.” “They have given tremendous service to the country over the years, and that contribution deserves respect.”
Follow us
