Saurashtra vs Punjab: India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill’s poor run with the bat continued as he was dismissed for a two-ball duck in Punjab’s Ranji Trophy match against Saurashtra on Thursday, January 22, 2026. Playing his first domestic red-ball match in a year, Gill came in at No. 5 after Punjab bowled out Saurashtra for 172. Punjab were in trouble at 73 for 3 when Gill walked in, with Harnoor Singh, Uday Saharan and Nehal Wadhera already dismissed. Gill’s stay was brief as he was struck on the pads by left-arm spinner Parth Bhut and given out leg before wicket by the umpire.
Gill’s form has dipped since his outstanding tour of England last year, where he scored 754 runs in five matches at an average of over 75, including four centuries. Since then, he has averaged 33.25 in 24 matches for India across formats. His form in T20 Internationals has been below par, with an average of 24.25 and a strike rate under 138 in 15 matches. This poor run resulted in his exclusion from India’s T20 World Cup squad.
The match is important for both teams as the race for the knockout stage intensifies. Saurashtra have 13 points from five matches, with one win and four draws. Punjab are on 11 points, with one win, one loss and three draws. The team will face Karnataka in its final group match starting January 29 in Mohali. Gill is expected to be available for that game as he is not part of the Indian squad for the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand or the upcoming T20 World Cup.
