Cricket fans were surprised as India left out Shubman Gill from the squad for the upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup and the T20I series against New Zealand.
Selectors, including BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia, captain Suryakumar Yadav, and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, appointed Axar Patel as the vice-captain.
Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma missed out, while Ishan Kishan returned to the squad after his exceptional performances for Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Rinku Singh also earned a recall to the T20I team after missing India’s 3-1 series victory in South Africa.
Agarkar explained that the team prioritised optimal combinations and another keeper option. He acknowledged Gill’s quality and expressed regret over his omission, highlighting that the selected combination fits the team’s current strategy.
He added that Ishan Kishan strengthens the top-order batting and serves as the ideal backup keeper.
The 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup will run from February 7 to March 8, featuring 40 group matches until February 20. The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the Super Eights stage, starting February 21.
India and Sri Lanka will co-host the tournament for the second time; Sri Lanka previously hosted in 2012, while India last hosted in 2016.
Following the three-match ODI series, India will play five T20Is against New Zealand from January 21 in Nagpur, with subsequent matches in Raipur, Guwahati, Visakhapatnam, and Thiruvananthapuram.
The organisers placed India in Group A alongside Pakistan, the USA, the Netherlands, and Namibia.
The Men in Blue aim to become the first team to defend the T20 World Cup title successfully, win the tournament on home soil, and secure a third Men’s T20 World Cup crown.
India will open its campaign against the USA at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on February 7, followed by a clash with Namibia at Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, on February 12.
The marquee fixture against Pakistan is scheduled for February 15 at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo, before concluding the group stage against the Netherlands at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on February 18.
The squad features captain Suryakumar Yadav, vice-captain Axar Patel, wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Ishan Kishan.
This announcement underscores India’s strategic planning ahead of the T20 World Cup, blending experienced players and in-form talents to defend their title successfully.
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