India have announced their 15-member squad for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, with Shubman Gill missing out on selection as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) finalised the group for the tournament scheduled from February 7 to March 8.
The same squad will also represent India in the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand, to be played between January 21 and 31.
Axar Patel of Gujarat has been named vice-captain for the global event, adding leadership responsibility to his role as a key all-rounder in the side.
Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead the team, with the management placing trust in a core group that has delivered consistent results in the shortest format over the past year.
The squad was finalised following a meeting of the BCCI Senior Men’s Selection Committee at the board’s headquarters in Mumbai. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia announced the selections at a press conference, after which captain Suryakumar and chief selector Ajit Agarkar addressed the media to outline the thinking behind key decisions.
One of the major talking points from the announcement was the exclusion of Gill, who has struggled to cement his place in India’s T20I setup. Despite previously serving as vice-captain in the format, Gill’s recent performances failed to convince the selectors. In 2024, he managed 291 runs from 15 T20I matches at an average of 24.25 and a strike rate of 137.26, without scoring a single half-century. His difficulties were compounded during the series against South Africa, where he scored only 32 runs across three matches, and a foot injury ruled him out of the final two games.
In contrast, Ishan Kishan earned a recall to the national side following a prolific run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Kishan, who last played a T20I for India in November 2023 against Australia in Guwahati, finished the domestic tournament as the highest run-scorer with 517 runs from 10 innings. He averaged 57.44 and struck at an impressive 197.32. His standout performance came in the final, where he smashed 101 off 49 balls, including six fours and ten sixes, to guide Jharkhand to their maiden title with a commanding 69-run win over Haryana in Pune.
Kishan has been selected as the second wicketkeeper in the squad alongside Sanju Samson. Samson continues to strengthen his credentials, having recently crossed 1,000 T20I runs and becoming the seventh Indian batter to reach the 8,000-run mark in overall T20 cricket. Jitesh Sharma, meanwhile, has lost his place after modest returns against South Africa, where he scored 10 not out in Cuttack and 27 in Mullanpur.
Rinku Singh has also found his way back into the national setup, offering India a proven finishing option. Although his Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaign was steady rather than spectacular, Rinku scored 172 runs from seven matches, with a highest score of 65 against Madhya Pradesh. The left-hander had been named only as a reserve for the previous T20 World Cup in 2024, but this time has been included in the main squad. In 35 T20Is so far, Rinku has amassed 550 runs at an average of 42.30 and a strike rate of 161.76, including three fifties.
The batting unit will also feature Abhishek Sharma, who is set to make his first appearance at a T20 World Cup. Since his debut last year, Abhishek has emerged as one of India’s most destructive batters. He recently became the fastest Indian to reach 1,000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced, achieving the milestone in 528 deliveries. He also played a crucial role in India’s Asia Cup triumph in the UAE, finishing as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 314 runs at a strike rate of 200.
India’s bowling attack will be led by Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, both of whom were instrumental in the team’s previous T20 World Cup success. Bumrah, the Player of the Series in that edition with 15 wickets, will again be central to India’s plans. Harshit Rana, who impressed against South Africa, adds further depth to the pace unit. The spin department includes Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, with Axar Patel providing balance, supported by Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar and Shivam Dube as all-round options.
India enter the tournament in strong form, having extended their unbeaten run in bilateral T20I series since August 2023 with a 3–1 victory over South Africa. The team will look to fine-tune combinations during the New Zealand series before opening their World Cup campaign against the United States at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 7.
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