Shubman Gill Expresses Heartbreak Over Punjab Floods, Pledges Support for Recovery

Shubman Gill took to social media to express his grief over the devastation caused by what has been described as the “worst floods in recent history” in Punjab, the North Indian state from which the India Test captain hails. Gill shared an emotional note, offering strength to the people of his state as they battle the natural disaster.

“Heartbroken to see my Punjab devastated by floods. Punjab will always be stronger than any adversity, and we’ll rise up from this. My prayers are with all affected families. Standing strong with my people,” Gill wrote in his post on X, formerly Twitter.

The floods in Punjab has already claimed at least 29 lives, while thousands have been displaced as torrential rain and the release of water from dams have inundated more than 10 districts in Punjab. The Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, along with several seasonal rivulets, have overflowed following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. In certain places, the Ravi has swelled to over ten times its normal width, submerging homes, sweeping across vast stretches of cropland, and forcing thousands of families from their homes.

As of Monday, September 1, more than 1,300 villages across Punjab remained submerged, with 6,582 people relocated to 122 relief camps, according to official figures. Districts including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, and Amritsar are among the worst affected.

Gill’s message of solidarity came as Punjabi film stars such as Diljit Dosanjh, Ammy Virk, and Sonam Bajwa stepped forward to support flood victims through donations and relief efforts. Dosanjh, in particular, has joined forces with NGOs and local authorities to adopt ten villages in Gurdaspur and Amritsar, with his team providing essentials such as food, water, and medical aid. The actor-singer shared details of the initiative on his Instagram story.

Meanwhile, Gill has been physically removed from the destruction, training at the Indian cricket board’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The opener recently cleared the mandatory fitness test for the senior men’s side in the lead-up to the Asia Cup 2025, which begins on September 9 in the UAE.

Gill has also marked his return to the T20I set-up for the first time in a year, having been named vice-captain of the Suryakumar Yadav-led squad. The 25-year-old is expected to open the batting alongside his close friend and fellow Punjabi, Abhishek Sharma.

His rise in T20I cricket comes on the back of his appointment as India’s Test captain, succeeding Rohit Sharma. Gill excelled in his maiden assignment as skipper, leading India to a 2-2 draw in the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. He led from the front, amassing 754 runs, including four centuries, in five matches, breaking several batting records in the process.

Gill missed the Duleep Trophy quarter-final for North Zone last month due to illness, but he recovered in time to clear the fitness test ahead of the Asia Cup, where he is set to play a crucial role in India’s campaign.