Star India batter Shubman Gill is set to return to domestic cricket, with reports suggesting he will feature for Punjab in the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy fixtures. The 26-year-old, who currently captains India in Tests and ODIs, was left out of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad last week after enduring a prolonged lean patch in the shortest format.

According to a report by Cricbuzz, Gill is expected to turn out for Punjab in their matches against Sikkim and Goa on January 3 and January 6, respectively, with both games scheduled to be played in Jaipur. Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has also reportedly informed Saurashtra of his availability for their January 6 and January 8 Vijay Hazare Trophy fixtures against Services and Gujarat.

Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul is also likely to feature in Karnataka’s January 3 and January 6 matches against Tripura and Rajasthan, although official confirmation is still awaited. Following their domestic commitments, Gill, Jadeja and Rahul are expected to join the Indian squad ahead of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand, which begins on January 11.

Gill was named in Punjab’s Vijay Hazare Trophy squad earlier but did not take part in the team’s first four matches. His return to domestic cricket comes at a time when he is looking to rediscover form in limited-overs cricket after being dropped from India’s T20I plans.

Notably, Gill was omitted from both the New Zealand T20I series and India’s squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. Earlier this year, he had been recalled to the T20I setup for the Asia Cup, marking his return to the format after more than a year. However, the comeback proved challenging, as Gill scored 291 runs in 15 innings at an average of 24.25, failing to make a significant impact.

His continued struggles prompted the BCCI selectors to leave him out of the T20I squad. Gill’s return to the format had initially come when India were enjoying success, having been recalled after a prolific showing in the England Test series. He subsequently replaced Sanju Samson at the top of the order, a move that attracted criticism given Samson’s strong performances in that role.

The selectors, however, reversed that decision while naming the squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup, reinstating Samson and leaving Gill out of the global tournamen marking a significant shift in India’s T20I plans.

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