India ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill was not included in Punjab’s playing XI against Sikkim in the fifth round of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Jaipur on Saturday, January 3. The right-handed batter’s absence from the line-up raised questions, especially ahead of the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
Gill travelled to Jaipur on Friday night along with Arshdeep Singh. The left-arm fast bowler was included in Punjab’s playing XI. Notably, the match between Punjab and Sikkim is underway at the Jaipuria Vidyalaya Ground in Jaipur. The venue has no seating facilities, and spectators are not allowed to attend.
Shubman Gill’s Return to Domestic Cricket Delayed Due to Food Poisoning
Shubman Gill’s comeback to domestic cricket has been pushed back after he was ruled out of Punjab’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Sikkim. As reported by Shayan Acharya from Sportstar, Gill missed the game due to food poisoning, delaying his return to the action.
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“BREAKING: Shubman Gill’s return to domestic cricket has been delayed. According to team sources, he had to sit out of the Punjab vs Sikkim Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture due to food poisoning,” Shayan Acharya wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
BREAKING: Shubman Gill’s return to domestic cricket has been delayed. According to team sources, he had to sit out of the Punjab vs Sikkim Vijay Hazare Trophy fixture due to food poisoning. @sportstarweb
— Shayan Acharya (@ShayanAcharya) January 3, 2026
Toss Update 🪙
Punjab won the toss and elected to field first. 💛💙
Arshdeep Singh is part of today’s Playing XI.#PunjabCricket #PCA #TossUpdate #MatchDay #VijayHazareTrophy pic.twitter.com/gQr8xP5TjL— Punjab Cricket Association (@pcacricket) January 3, 2026
Shubman Gill’s Absence From Vijay Hazare Trophy Match Surprises Fans
Many senior Indian players are featuring in the Vijay Hazare Trophy this season. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have already played two matches each, and fans were eager to see Gill turn out for Punjab.
Gill was expected to play Punjab’s Vijay Hazare Trophy match against Sikkim in Jaipur. However, when the final playing XI was announced, his name was missing, which surprised fans. Gill was also not included in the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
Just before the match, the Punjab Cricket Association shared a poster featuring Gill on social media. Later, photos of Gill with football star Erling Haaland went viral, sparking rumours that he might not have returned to India yet.
Shubman Gill to Return to the ODI Side for the 50-over Leg against New Zealand
Gill has a solid record in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. The Punjab batter has scored 815 runs in 19 matches at an average of 45.27, with three centuries and three half-centuries to his name.
After finishing his Vijay Hazare Trophy commitments, Gill is expected to be available for the ODI series against New Zealand, which will begin on January 11 in Vadodara. The BCCI has not announced the squad yet, but Gill is likely to return as an opener alongside Rohit Sharma.
Gill missed the South Africa ODI series while recovering from a neck injury, which gave Yashasvi Jaiswal a chance at the top of the order.
The 26-year-old will be keen to bounce back in ODIs after a tough tour of Australia, where he scored 10, 9, and 24 in three matches as captain. Having also been dropped from the T20 World Cup squad, Gill will be eager to prove his value in the ODI format.
