Axar Patel will be the vice captain.
The India squad for the T20 World Cup 2026 was announced on December 20 as the defending champions aim to clinch back-to-back titles. The tournament is set to take place from February 7, hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
The Men in Blue defeated South Africa by 3-1 in the recently concluded series. It was expected that head coach Gautam Gambhir and selectors would pick the same team. But there were a few major surprises in the 15-member squad led by Suryakumar Yadav. Axar Patel was named as the vice captain, replacing Shubman Gill. Let’s take a look at the four biggest talking points from the India squad.
The biggest shock from the India squad announcement was the omission of Shubman Gill. He was named the vice captain of the T20I side not too long ago and was looked at as the future all-format captain. However, he hasn’t been able to secure his spot despite a consistent run at the top.
This year, Gill has scored 291 runs from 15 innings at an average of 24 while striking at 137. He has failed to cross the fifty-run mark even once in this period. The criticism around his place was increasing, with India blasting multiple options for the role. Sanju Samson, who made 37 off 22 in the final T20I against South Africa, will now be the first-choice opening partner to Abhishek Sharma.
Rinku Singh was left out of the India squad for the recently concluded series against South Africa. He has returned to the side for the T20 World Cup in another surprising move from the team management.
Rinku has played 35 T20 internationals for India and has done a solid job as a finisher. He has made 550 runs at an average of 42 while striking at 162. He is among the best pace hitters in the country and adds great value to the side. With Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube having issues against hard lengths, Rinku’s presence is crucial for the team.
Ishan Kishan, who was once a regular member of the Indian team, went through a rough patch and lost his place. He now finds a way back into the T20 side on the back of an incredible run in domestic cricket. He led Jharkhand to their maiden title in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Ishan topped the batting charts in the SMAT 2025-26 with 517 runs at an average of 57 and a strike rate of 197. He was rewarded for this performance with a place in the India squad.
ALSO READ:
Ishan Kishan’s gain was Jitesh Sharma’s loss as he was omitted due to the combination. Jitesh featured in India’s playing XI until Gill suffered an injury. Gill losing his spot had an impact on Jitesh’s spot as India did not need a middle-order keeper with Samson at the top. The team management opted to go with another opening keeper in Ishan.
Jitesh played seven T20Is this year, scoring 62 runs at a strike rate of 158. Batting in the lower middle order meant he had to throw the kitchen sink from the get-go. While he did that selflessly, the team dynamics have cost him a spot at the marquee ICC event.
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (vice-captain), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar, and Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper).
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
