India Name T20 World Cup Squad, Gill, Jitesh Omitted
India’s cricket selectors have announced the 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, with several notable selections and omissions. The team will be led by Suryakumar Yadav, with Axar Patel named as the vice-captain.
Key inclusions and exclusions
Among the biggest news is the omission of Shubman Gill from the squad, despite his role as vice-captain in recent T20 preparations. Gill has not been in strong T20 form and was left out as selectors opted for different combinations. Jitesh Sharma has also been left out, as the team management chose a different wicketkeeper strategy.
In their places, experienced wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan has been recalled to the national T20 setup after impressive performances in domestic cricket, including a high-impact season in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Rinku Singh has also earned a spot in the squad as a middle-order batting option.
Squad balance and strategy
The selected squad features a blend of power hitters, all-rounders and specialist bowlers. Alongside Yadav and Kishan, players such as Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma will add batting firepower, while Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube provide all-round depth. The pace attack includes Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, with spin options led by Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy.
Selectors have indicated the decisions were driven by a focus on team balance and role-specific strengths ahead of the global tournament, which India will co-host with Sri Lanka starting in February 2026.
India Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Axar Patel (vc), Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Rinku Singh
