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Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26: Will Shubman Gill play in the Punjab vs Sikkim match tomorrow?
Shubman Gill will captain Punjab against Sikkim in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on January 3, marking his comeback following a notable omission from the T20 World Cup squad.
Koushik Biswas
Jan 02, 2026
Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill will be seen opening the batting for Punjab in Vijay Hazare Trophy. Image | X
It is January 2, 2026, and the biggest headline in Indian domestic cricket today is the confirmed return of India’s Test and ODI captain, Shubman Gill to competitive action. After a brief period on the sidelines due to a serious neck injury and a surprising omission from the T20 World Cup squad, Gill is set to lead the charge for Punjab against Sikkim in their Vijay Hazare Trophy clash tomorrow, January 3, 2026.
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The comeback: Gill returns to domestic roots
Shubman Gill has officially confirmed his availability to the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) for two crucial fixtures before he joins the national squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand.
The match against Sikkim marks a significant moment for Gill. Late in 2025, he suffered a cervical disc bulge during a Test match against South Africa, an injury that saw him hospitalized and ruled out of several international assignments.
Having completed his rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru, Gill is using the Vijay Hazare Trophy as a platform to prove his match fitness and find his rhythm.
Read also: Mission 2026: Three records that Virat Kohli can break in 2026
Key storylines for the match
Read also: ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Squad of every nation
Match details & team news
Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh (Punjab)MatchPunjab vs Sikkim (Elite Group C)DateJanuary 3, 2026Time9:00 AM ISTVenueJaipuria Vidyalaya Ground, JaipurStars in Action
Punjab’s star-studded lineup
Punjab enters this match as heavy favorites, boasting a lineup that looks more like an international squad than a state team.
Alongside Gill, the world’s top-ranked T20 batter Abhishek Sharma and pace spearhead Arshdeep Singh are both expected to feature.
For Sikkim, the challenge will be monumental as they attempt to bowl to an opening pair of Gill and Abhishek, arguably the most explosive duo in domestic cricket today.
How to watch the match?
Unfortunately for fans, this match will not be live-streamed.
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