Shubman Gill captains India's one-day and Test cricket teams. He planned to return to domestic cricket after missing the T20 World Cup squad.
His first game was for Punjab against Sikkim in the Vijay Hazare Trophy on January 3, 2026. The match took place at Jaipuria College ground in Ghaziabad. But fans could not watch it live or on stream because it happened with no public allowed.
The game stayed closed to crowds due to security issues and not enough seats at the college ground. Only college students and staff could enter. Private guards stopped everyone else from coming in. This followed BCCI rules seen in other recent domestic matches with big players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Punjab faced two important group-stage games. The first was against Sikkim on January 3, and the next against Goa on January 6 at KL Saini Stadium. Shubman Gill and fast bowler Arshdeep Singh were set to play these to help the team. Punjab had won earlier matches, and these players would give a strong boost, even without fans watching.
Bad weather and thick fog in north India caused travel delays. Flights from Mohali got pushed back. Gill and Arshdeep were due on January 2 evening but reached very late at night. In the end, Gill missed the Sikkim game due to sudden food poisoning. Arshdeep played and took five wickets. This helped Punjab bowl out Sikkim for just 75 runs.
This match was Gill's first chance at real cricket since his T20 World Cup team leave-out. That came after poor scores in short-format games like the Asia Cup and against South Africa.
The no-fan setup kept things focused on the team's play, not excitement. Punjab moved ahead in the tournament. Fans missed seeing Gill, but he may play against Goa soon, before India's busy one-day series with New Zealand.