Indian T20 World Cup Squad: India has announced their squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, and the big talking point is the absence of Shubman Gill. The tournament will start on February 7, with India playing as defending champions and co-hosts.
Suryakumar Yadav will captain the team. This will be his first ICC tournament as India’s full-time captain. Axar Patel has been named vice-captain. Gill misses out due to poor form and is also no longer the deputy.
India is aiming to make history by becoming the first team to win back-to-back Men’s T20 World Cups. They are also chasing a record third overall T20 World Cup title.
Indian T20 World Cup Squad: Full Indian squad analysis
India announced their Indian T20 World Cup 2026 squad on December 20. Suryakumar Yadav will continue as captain, and Axar Patel has been named vice-captain. The squad will also be used for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand.
The major decision is the exclusion of Shubman Gill. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said Gill is short of runs and pointed out that he also missed the last T20 World Cup. Since returning to the T20 side, Gill has played 15 matches and scored 291 runs at an average of 24.25 with a strike rate of 137. He did not score a single fifty. Because of this, he lost his place and his vice-captaincy.
The team management has gone back to the plan of using a wicketkeeper at the top of the order. Sanju Samson remains in the squad and is expected to open. He scored 417 runs in 12 T20Is with three centuries earlier, though his Asia Cup was mixed. In the last T20 against South Africa, he opened again and scored 37 off 22 balls. Jitesh Sharma has been dropped, and Ishan Kishan has been included as the second wicketkeeper.
Abhishek Sharma has been backed as a regular opener. In 2025, he scored 859 runs in 21 T20 matches at an average of 42.95 and a strike rate above 193. Tilak Varma keeps his place after strong contributions in the recent South Africa series. Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube are part of the middle order and all-round options. Washington Sundar adds another spin all-round option.
The bowling attack is led by Jasprit Bumrah. Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana provide pace support. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy are the main spin bowlers. Suryakumar Yadav said “the squad looks balanced,” and called it “a big responsibility to play in front of the home crowd.”
Indian T20 World Cup Squad: Hits and Misses of the Indian squad
The biggest hit for the Indian T20 World Cup Squad is a settled and aggressive top order. Abhishek Sharma has been in strong form through 2025, scoring heavily at a very high strike rate. Sanju Samson is back to opening as a wicketkeeper-batter, which the team management wanted from the start.
Another positive is the return of Ishan Kishan. He comes in as the second wicketkeeper and reserve opener. He earned his place after a strong domestic season, including a high run tally and quick scoring. Rinku Singh’s inclusion as a finisher also strengthens the lower middle order. Axar Patel being named vice-captain adds stability, as he contributes with both bat and ball.
India’s bowling looks well covered. Jasprit Bumrah remains the main strike bowler, with Arshdeep Singh handling the left-arm pace option. Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy give India two attacking spin choices, while Washington Sundar adds control, especially in the powerplay. Harshit Rana provides extra pace depth.
The biggest miss is Shubman Gill. He has been dropped from both the squad and the vice-captain role. Ajit Agarkar confirmed Gill has been short of runs, while Suryakumar said the decision was more about team balance and having a wicketkeeper at the top. Gill failed to score a fifty in 15 T20 matches after his comeback, which worked against him.
Jitesh Sharma is another notable omission. With the team choosing to go back to a keeper-opener setup, he lost his spot to Ishan Kishan. Despite earlier chances, he is no longer part of the final 15. There are also concerns around Suryakumar Yadav’s batting form. He has admitted that his poor run has gone on longer than expected, though he has backed himself to return strongly.
Indian T20 World Cup Squad: A Look at the Indian Squad
Full squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Jasprit Bumrah, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, and Ishan Kishan.
FAQs
Q. Who will lead India in the 2026 T20 World Cup?
A. India’s captain for the 2026 T20 World Cup is Suryakumar Yadav.
Q. Will Shubman Gill participate in the 2026 T20 World Cup?
A. The Indian T20 World Cup 2026 team does not include Shubman Gill.
Q. When was India’s 2026 T20 World Cup team announced?
A. On Saturday, December 20, India revealed their team for the 2026 T20 World Cup.
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