India's squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 has been announced, with a few surprises headlining the selection. The most notable change is the exclusion of Shubman Gill, with Ishan Kishan making a comeback to the team. Suryakumar Yadav will captain the side, and Axar Patel has been named vice-captain.
Gill's omission is a significant talking point, considering he has been a regular in the Indian team across formats. Despite being the vice-captain in the T20I series against South Africa, Gill has been dropped from the squad. According to chief selector Ajit Agarkar, the decision was based on team combination and Gill's recent form. Agarkar acknowledged that Gill was "short of runs" and that his omission was "unfortunate".
Ishan Kishan's inclusion comes after strong performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), where he led Jharkhand to their maiden title. Kishan's return to the T20I fold is significant, as he last played for India in this format over two years ago. He edged out Jitesh Sharma to become the second wicketkeeper in the squad, behind Sanju Samson. Kishan is also considered a reserve opener.
The squad includes a blend of experience and youth, with players like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Rinku Singh adding firepower to the middle order. The bowling attack will be led by Jasprit Bumrah, with Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, and Kuldeep Yadav providing variety. Harshit Rana has earned a maiden call-up to the national side. Washington Sundar has also been included in the squad.
India, as defending champions and co-hosts alongside Sri Lanka, will aim to defend their title in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The tournament will feature 20 teams divided into four groups. India is placed in Group A with Pakistan, USA, Netherlands, and Namibia. They will begin their campaign against the USA on February 7 in Mumbai and face Pakistan on February 15 in Colombo. The final is scheduled for March 8, with Ahmedabad as the venue unless Pakistan qualifies, in which case Colombo will host the title match.
The complete squad is as follows: Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (Wicket-keeper), Washington Sundar, Ishan Kishan, Rinku Singh.
