T20 World Cup 2026: Key learnings from Team India's squad
What's the story
India's squad for the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, starting February 7, was finally revealed on Saturday. Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead the team despite his poor run. However, the biggest talking point from the squad was Shubman Gill's snub. All-rounder Axar Patel has been named the vice-captain, replacing Gill. Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan has earned a well-deserved call-up.
Squad
A look at India's squad
Before the World Cup, India will face New Zealand in five T20Is. The same squad, which has been picked for the marquee event, will feature in this series. Squad: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Axar Patel (vice-captain), Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, and Rinku Singh.
Exclusion
Gill axed from T20Is
Gill, India's incumbent Test and ODI skipper, was named the vice-captain of the T20I team ahead of the 2025 Asia Cup. However, he has had a modest run in the format, managing 291 runs across 15 T20Is in 2025 at 24.25 (HS: 47). Despite his low scores, Gill was expected to bolster India's top order in the T20 World Cup.
Inclusion
Will Ishan Kishan feature in XI?
The inclusion of Ishan Kishan came as a delight. Ishan, who last played for India in November 2023, was called up after captaining Jharkhand to the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) title. He hammered 517 runs at an average of 57.44 (SR: 197.32). However, there are questions over his role in the team, as Samson and Abhishek have already strengthened the top order.
All-rounders
All-rounders galore
India's squad is studded with several all-rounders. While Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya are the pace-bowling all-rounders, Washington Sundar and Axar Patel can provide overs of spin-bowling alongside batting. This would allow the Indian team to adjust its combination according to the pitch and conditions. Even Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma can come in handy with their part-time spin.
Rinku SinghÂ
Potent finisher in Rinku Singh
A potent finisher, Rinku Singh, has finally been included in the T20 World Cup squad. The left-handed batter missed out on the recent assignments due to team combinations. Rinku had a meteoric rise after his five sixes in an over off Yash Dayal in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). Despite limited opportunities, he has a strike rate of 161.76 in T20Is.
Information
Harshit Rana over Mohammed Siraj
Leaving out the experienced Mohammed Siraj, the Indian selection committee has trusted Harshit Rana for the World Cup. As was the case against South Africa, he is the third specialist pacer alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.