India has made a surprising change to their squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup by leaving out vice-captain Shubman Gill. Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan, who recently impressed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 517 runs at nearly two runs per ball, has replaced Gill in the top order. This adjustment has allowed the selectors to include Rinku Singh, who has not featured in recent T20I squads. However, the late change meant that Jitesh Sharma, India’s No. 1 wicketkeeper in recent series, missed out on selection.
In Gill’s absence, Axar Patel has been named the vice-captain of the 15-man squad. The rest of the squad largely followed expectations, with Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana forming the frontline pace attack, while Varun Chakravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav will lead the spin department. Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are the spin all-rounders, and Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube provide seam-bowling all-round options. The middle order is bolstered by captain Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Rinku Singh, while Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, and Kishan complete the squad. This same team will face New Zealand in a five-match T20I series ahead of the World Cup.
Why Shubman Gill Was Left Out
Ajit Agarkar, chair of the selection committee, explained the decision to drop Gill as a strategic move rather than a reflection of form. “It’s more to do with the combination that we want to play, or what the team management is comfortable with,” Agarkar said. The focus is on having a wicketkeeper open the innings, giving the team more flexibility in combinations. Gill, who replaced Samson in the XI as vice-captain, has scored 291 runs in 15 innings at the top with a strike rate of 137.26 but has not recorded a half-century.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav echoed this sentiment, saying, “It’s not about his form or anything. We wanted a keeper at the top to allow two to three good combinations which can win us the World Cup. Shubman is a terrific player, but the situation requires this strategy.”
India’s Squad for T20 World Cup 2026
- Captain: Suryakumar Yadav
- Vice-Captain: Axar Patel
- Wicketkeepers: Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan
- Batsmen: Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh
- All-rounders: Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar
- Pace Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana
- Spinners: Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav
India’s combination strategy reflects a focus on flexibility and balance, emphasizing the importance of top-order options and all-round capabilities to challenge teams in the T20 World Cup 2026.
