Harbhajan Singh backs Gambhir’s bold call: Ishan Kishan over Shubman Gill in T20 World Cup paid off

Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has praised head coach Gautam Gambhir and the selectors for choosing Ishan Kishan over Shubman Gill in India’s T20 World Cup squad.

Harbhajan acknowledged that the move initially sparked debate but ultimately proved to be a masterstroke, with Kishan delivering a standout campaign. Kishan emerged as India’s second-highest run-scorer in the tournament, forming a formidable opening partnership with Sanju Samson. His aggressive starts frequently dominated the powerplay, setting the tone for India’s matches on their way to the title.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan highlighted that Kishan’s domestic form had already shown he deserved another chance in the T20 format.

“Bringing Ishan Kishan in was a good move from Gautam Gambhir, even though initially it seemed unfair to Shubman Gill. I had said earlier that Kishan was batting the best in this format because of his domestic performances. His comeback was necessary,” Harbhajan said.

Harbhajan also noted Kishan’s consistency and team-first approach throughout the tournament:

“Ishan started where Abhishek Sharma left off. He did not disappoint once in the entire World Cup. Every match he batted destructively but kept the team’s needs first. To perform like that after a comeback is massive.”

How Ishan Replaced Gill in the T20 World Cup

The selection change came after contrasting form in the lead-up to the tournament. Gill had returned to India’s T20I side during the Asia Cup in September 2025 and was even named vice-captain under Suryakumar Yadav. However, inconsistent performances in the format led to his exclusion from the 15-member World Cup squad announced on December 20, 2025.

Meanwhile, Kishan was in red-hot form domestically, guiding Jharkhand to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title. He further strengthened his case by scoring a century against New Zealand in the final match of a T20I series in Thiruvananthapuram.

Ishan Kishan’s World Cup Impact

Kishan carried his momentum into the World Cup, consistently providing aggressive starts at the top of the order that perfectly matched India’s attacking strategy. In the final against New Zealand, he smashed 54 off 25 balls as India posted 255, setting a daunting target. He also contributed in the field, taking two sharp catches to dismiss Rachin Ravindra and Tim Seifert.

By the tournament’s end, Kishan had crossed the 300-run mark, joining Sanju Samson and Virat Kohli as the only Indian batters to score over 300 runs in a single T20 World Cup edition.